Recipe: Hummus

It's easy to make your own hummus at home!

Ingredients:

1-15oz can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)

1-minced garlic clove

1/4 cup of tahini

2- tablespoons olive oil

2-tablespoons lemon juice (fresh if you can)

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cumin

cayenne to taste

 

In a small bowl, whisk tahini and olive oil.  In a pourable measuring cup, mix water and lemon juice.  Drop garlic into a food processor and mince. Add chickpeas, garlic, salt, cumin, and a pinch of cayenne and then process 20 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl and process an additional few seconds until everything is evenly ground (mixture will still be fairly course). Leave the food processor running and pour the water/lemon mix in. After a minute, you should see a smooth mixture (you may need to stop and scrape the sides).  At this point, with the food processor still running, add your tahini mixture and blend another 15-20 seconds or until mixed. Let your hummus sit (covered) for at least 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of paprika, parsley, cilantro, whole chickpeas, pine nuts, sesame seeds, or get creative! Note: You CAN use dried chickpeas if you have time to soak them overnight and then to simmer for an hour with 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda. If you choose this option, use the cooking water in place of fresh.