Yet another food I was scared of before I started cooking, hummus has become a staple in the household. At any given point there are at least two containers in my refrigerator, to be completely sure that we won’t run out, which would result in panic, shouting, and general sadness.
When I started researching for this video, I found a couple of things. First off, there are several extremely delightful personalities in the Middle Eastern/ Mediterranean food space. Obi from Middle Eats and Refika from Refika’s Kitchen are not only knowledgeable about the cuisine, but talk about food in such inviting way, you can’t help but to get excited to make the food they’re teaching about.
As a result of their shared insights, I found several ways a basic hummus recipe can be improved upon, but that employing those techniques will result in a hummus far superior to anything you could get at a store. So check out the instructional video BEFORE trying the written recipe! There are always some little tidbits I forget to include in the recipe card. Plus, you get to see more of my beautiful face!
And, of course, the written recipe:
Hummus 3 Ways
Equipment
- 1 Food processor A blender might work? But wasn't tested for this recipe.
Ingredients
For Basic Hummus
- 1 15.5 oz can chickpeas
- 3 Tbsp Lemon juice Freshly squeezed
- 6 Tbsp tahini
- 1 tsp Kosher salt Half that amount for table salt
- 1/4 Cup water
For Mushy Chickpeas
- 1 lb dried chickpeas soaked 8 hours- overnight
- Enough water to cover the chickpeas with 2" of water
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking soda
For Good Hummus
- 400 grams Mushy chickpeas
- 6 Tbsp Tahini
- 3 Tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tsp Kosher salt Half that amount for table salt
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
For homemade tahini
- 1 Cup Raw sesame seeds
- 3 Tbsp Neutral oil Such as grapeseed oil or avocado oil
For the Ultimate Hummus
- 400 grams mushy chickpeas
- 6 tbsp Homemade tahini
- 4 Tbsp Lemon juice Freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp Kosher salt Half amount if using table salt
- 2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 6 Cubes Ice May need more or less depending on size. Judge consistency after each cube that's added
Instructions
For Basic Hummus
- Open can of chickpeas, drain liquid, rinse, pour in large bowl with lots of water
- Agitate chickpeas with your hands to get the skins to remove from the chickpeas. Skim free skins from the top of the water with a small mesh strainer, slotted spoon, or your fingers. Drain bowl.
- Add chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, salt, and water to the bowl of a food processor. Process for 3-4 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl down halfway through.
For Mushy Chickpeas
- Soak dried chickpeas at least 8 hours, up to overnight, until chickpeas are plump and fully hydrated.
- Pour out liquid from the bowl, add chickpeas to a large pot. Cover with 2" of water. Bring to a boil.
- Stir in foam as it comes up, or skim from the top.
- reduce heat to medium, cook for 30 minutes. Reserve small amount of chickpeas for garnish if desired
- Cook chickpeas down, stirring occasionally, for another hour, until liquid has totally evaporated and chickpeas take on a very tender, mushy consistency.
- Let cool and refrigerate for up to 5 days before using.
For Good Hummus
- If mushy chickpeas are cold, place in the microwave for ~30 seconds until warm or room temperature. Add chickpeas to food processor. and process for 30 seconds- 1 minute.
- Add remaining ingredients and process for 4-5 minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl halfway through.
For Homemade Tahini
- Add sesame seeds to a saucepan and toast on medium heat until just starting to take on color. Do not over-toast, or your tahini will take on a bitter taste.
- Place in small food processor and process until the consistency of a chunky paste
- Add neutral oil and process until pourable and smooth
For Ulitmate Hummus
- If mushy chickpeas are cold, place in the microwave for ~30 seconds until warm or room temperature. Add chickpeas to food processor. and process for 30 seconds- 1 minute.
- Add homemade tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and process for 8 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl halfway through. In the first 6 minutes of processing, add one ice cube every minute, or until the desired consistency is reached.
- Garnish as desired. Recommended: Reserved chickpeas, olive oil, paprika, ground sumac, cumin, parsley.