HOW TO COOK HUMMUS

Hummus is one of the staple dishes widely known all across the Middle East, Turkey and North Africa where it is served in many different ways.  However, due to its simplicity, the popularity of hummus is enjoyed all over the world.  It can be made in minutes with the use of just a few ingredients and a food processor.

Humus could be served as a dip or a part of a mezze platter at the start of the meal or as a delicious condiment served alongside grilled or barbecued meat dishes.

The recipe below is a classic way to make hummus.

You need:

400 gr can of chickpeas

3 tbs of Tahina paste

2 tsp of sumac (available at the spice section of any supermarket)

2 tsp of lemon juice

4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

2-3 cloves of garlic (or more if you really like it, like I do)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp of smocked paprika for serving

Method:

Drain the chickpeas but save the liquid.  Place all the ingredients into the food processor and blitz until smooth.  Check the seasoning and adjust according to your taste.  If the paste looks too thick, add the reserved liquid, another spoonful of olive oil and tahina paste.  Blitz again.  

Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.  Pour hummus into a nice bowl then using the back of a spoon create a well in the middle of the paste, pour a few spoons of olive oil into it and sprinkle with paprika and it is ready to serve.

There are no hard rules for flavouring hummus, so once you have mastered the classic recipe, you can have some fun experimenting with different flavours, with whatever takes your fancy and what you can find in your fridge or in the pantry.  You can add roasted peppers or sun-dried tomatoes, spice it up with an addition of chili flakes or cumin seeds.  And most importantly, if you don't have a can of chickpeas in your pantry, you can easily substitute it with a can of canelini beans.

Let your imagination run wild and enjoy the taste!!!