Hummus is a delicious spread or dip made from chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and spices. It’s commonly eaten in the Middle East and the Mediterranean, but is now a staple on most tables.
Hummus is one of my favourite spreads, since I can lather it on toast, spread it on crackers, or dip carrot/ cucumber sticks into it- all this without going on a guilt trip about calories. The best part of hummus? With a few simple steps, one can make creamy smooth hummus at home, which is as good or better than store-bought.
Hummus Ingredients
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- Chickpeas -1 cup boiled
(Chickpeas are the base for hummus. The softened beans break down into a smooth paste. I use home-cooked chickpeas.)
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- Tahini – 2 tablespoon
Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. It makes the hummus taste incredible. You can buy tahini at the store or you can make it yourself. I use homemade tahini but more often than not, I skip tahini. I just add more olive oil. The hummus still tastes incredible.
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- Olive Oil- 4 tablespoon
- Lemon Juice 1 tablespoon
Fresh lemon juice is important for excellent hummus. Bottled lemon juice does not taste nearly as good.
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- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Chilli flakes – to be added after all the processing in the mixer is done
- 4 tablespoon water/ aquafaba
Method
The secret to the smoothest, most luxurious hummus is the order in which you add ingredients to your food processor. Seriously, it’s that easy. Add tahini and lemon juice to your food processor, and then turn it on and process for a minute or until they whip up into a creamy paste.
From here, you can add the remaining ingredients in any order, but make sure you stand back and let the food processor run for a minute after adding each ingredient.
Cold water (or aquafaba — the water in which one boiled chickpeas) is my last trick for fluffy, creamy, whipped hummus. After all the ingredients are added and have processed into a smooth paste, I love to drizzle in some extra liquid with the processor still running. The liquid (and extra process time) turns the already pretty smooth mixture into a fluffy, luxurious dip!