More Arabic than this it can’t get! Ok, maybe Levantine but in my mind is Lebanon in the old good days at Hamra street. Visiting Beirut with my parents, just couldn’t get enough of this fantastic dip.
Simple but at the same time difficult to reproduce; is it the chickpeas, the tahini, the oil? I have tried my best and the following is the nearest to satisfying my memorym taste buds!
Hummus
Servings: 8 People
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Dehydrated Chickpeas
- 60 ml Lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons Seed Oil , like Canola or Rapeseed
- 1 tablespoon EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil), for drizzle
- 120 grs raw Tahini
- 1 ½ teaspoons Baking Soda
- 1 clove Garlic , finely minced
- ¼ teaspoon sweet Paprika , for garnish
- 1 ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- From previous night soak the Chickpeas in water with ¾ teaspoon of baking soda.
- In a large pot place the chickpeas and the other ¾ teaspoon of baking soda, cover with water 4 cm above their level. On high heat bring water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes until chickpeas are tender. Check frequently as doneness greatly depends and varies on your chickpeas. Skim off any foam created or skins coming apart.
- When ready reserve 1 cup of their water, drain and let cool. Keep about 15 chick peas for the final garnish.
- Use a high-speed food processor or blender with the metal blade attached. Add the chickpeas, lemon juice, seed oil, garlic, salt and pepper and blend until velvety smooth.
- Open the lid of the blender, add the tahini and blend for 30 more seconds.
- Serve the hummus in a shallow bowl, create a well in the middle, add the 15 reserved chickpeas, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle the paprika.
