39. Classic hummus inspired chickpea dip
Hummous, hummus, houmous, hommous, humus… No matter how you spell it this chick pea dip is popular for a reason, it is a bomb of silky spell binding deliciousness! Versatile as a dip, a spread, a sauce or by the spoonful, hummous is an easy addition to any Mediterranean meal.
Most of the recipes I share on ‘just really good recipes’ are adaptations or ‘inspired by’ a few recipes I have fused together. However, this recipe is just a classic hummous. I have been making this recipe for years and I just don’t waffle. I have tried adding spices like cumin and I always revert to this classical recipe. The Levantine area of the Middle East or eastern Mediterranean all use a version of a classic chick pea dip. Once you know the base of a proper hummous it is fun to experiment with spicing and add-ins.
Most grocers carry many versions of hummous and for the most part they are quite expensive. This recipe very inexpensive super fast to prepare and simple-simple-simple! Your blender or food processor does all the work in no time. The flavour of homemade hummous is unmatched! Make this and you will never want store bought hummous again.
All you need is one can of chickpeas, a couple lemons some tahini, extra virgin olive oil, a clove or two of garlic and salt.
Prep and assembly
garlic 1 or 2 cloves - I now use 2 as we like that extra zing, I recommend starting with 1 clove
1 can (19 oz or 540ml) chickpeas drained and rinsed
1/4 cup tahini depending on the brand you may chose to add a bit more to taste
1/4 cup lemon juice more to taste
1/2 tsp salt - be careful not to add too much salt !
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and extra for drizzling the end product
water 1 Tbsp at a time to thin out the hummous while blending
paprika, sumac or cumin for sprinkling the end product
parsley for decorating the end product
lemon wedges for serving
Assembly
Rinse the chickpeas and place into a saucepan or pot with water and boil for a few minutes. This step ensures silky smooth end product.*
*TIP : Chick peas have a casing around each pea. If you have time remove the casings. I don’t do this every time I make hummous as it is time consuming, and sometimes I just don’t bother. For optimal hummous this step is well worth it and the end product will be just that much better!
Place all the ingredients (boiled chick peas, extra virgin olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, salt, garlic clove(s)) in your blender or food processor and blend for 2-3 minutes until you get a smooth paste - you may need to add some water to loosen the mixture. I recommend adding one tablespoon of water at a time so the mixture doesn’t become too runny. Taste and adjust salt or lemon (one squeeze at a time!) blend again and done.
Upon completion, plate the hummous on a flat plate and garnish with a sprinkle of paprika or sumac. Drizzle with more extra virgin olive oil, add some chopped parsley and lemon wedges if desired.
Serve and enjoy!