Hummus

Hummus -- also sometimes spelled hummous and other times called Hummus Bi Tahini -- is a Middle Eastern dish that is made with cooked chick peas and tahini, a creamy paste made from sesame seeds. Added to these two primary ingredients are garlic and seasonings that can be intensified depending on how you prefer the flavor.

Because hummus is made from a legume, it is rich in protein but without any of the fat that comes from animal protein.

It makes a satisfying sandwich when it's spread on a slice of pita, lavash or other tender bread, adding a slice of fresh tomato or thin pieces of raw cucumber. It's a popular appetizer dip for raw vegetables, including spears of carrots, celery and fennel. It's also a beautiful compliment to a platter of grilled summer vegetables.

You can adjust the texture of the hummus to your liking by doing more or less work with the food processor. Some prefer it as a very smooth paste while others like it a bit chunky, with small pieces of the chick peas throughout the purée.

Makes about 2 cups.

Ingredients

2 cups (16 ounces) canned chick peas or 1 cup dried chick peas that have been soaked for 4 hours and rinsed
3 tablespoons tahini paste
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 cloves garlic, peeled and grated using a fine-holed rasper or cheese grater
Juice of 1 to 2 medium lemons (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste
Tabasco or hot sauce

1. If using canned chick peas, drain and rinse them well.
2. Combine in the basket of a food processor or blender, the drained chick peas, tahini, warm water, juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons), and process with a metal blade until smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the container with a spatula.
3. Add the grated garlic, salt, ground cumin, and about 4 drops of Tabasco or hot sauce. Continue to process until completely combined.
4. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more lemon juice, salt, cumin and hot sauce depending on your preferences.
5. Scrape into a storage container or serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tip: If you don't plan to serve the hummus right away, you can add a small drizzle of olive oil on top so to prevent a crust from forming.

Tip: While many recipes call for minced garlic, remember that raw garlic can be very peppery and also difficult to digest. Instead use a rasper or a finely-holed cheese grater to grate the garlic into the mixture so to get a more subtle and refined garlic accent.

Tip: Using hot sauce instead of freshly ground pepper let you add flavor and heat without any little flecks of black pepper into the pale beige hummus.

Advertise on TheCityCook.com