With the arrival of the holidays I got distracted from sharing my adventures on the Taste of Israel tour (see part 1: Kanafeh/Künefe)! After an evening out on the town Tel Aviv there was an early morning tour of the old port in Yaffo, along with sampling some of Yaffo’s tasty treats. One of the first things that we stopped for was a delightful hummus at a hummus bar!
Now if you thought that hummus was just a dip that you bought at the grocery store or made at home with canned chickpeas every once in a while, it could not be further from the truth! In fact there is quite a large hummus ‘culture’ out there with secret recipes, shops dedicated to making hummus and only hummus, that have been been in business for generations, and even great debates on who makes the best hummus, over dinner, which is just hummus and pitas for dipping. Our first food stop was at Abu Hassan which is apparently one of the fore runners for making the best hummus in Israel. I have to admit that the hummus that I had at Abu Hassan’s was the best hummus that I had ever had and that of course meant that I would have to work on my hummus recipe when I returned home!
After talking to several people in Israel and doing some research online I found that even though the recipe for hummus is a simple mixture of chickpeas, tahini (sesame paste), garlic, lemon juice and salt, there are about a million different ways of making it! The first main difference that I came across was whether to use dried or canned chickpeas and since I had only ever used canned chickpeas I was eager to see what the difference was. As it turns out it’s actually pretty easy to cook chickpeas, you just need to soak them in water overnight and then cook them for 2 hours on the stove or just throw them into a slow cooker for the day so as long as you remember to start the night before, it only take a few minutes of extra active time to use dried chickpeas. Just comparing dried chickpeas vs canned, the dried ones somehow taste lighter and cleaner than the canned ones so I was very interested to see the difference it would make in hummus.
The next main difference that I came across was whether to peel the chickpeas or not. Yes, you can peel chickpeas! They have a thin skin that can be removed and the idea is that the skin does not taste as good as the flesh within and it’s removal allows for a smoother hummus. I had not realized that you could peel chickpeas so I had to try it and it is actually pretty easy, I was able to get through an entire can in less than 5 minutes and it’s even faster once you get both hands going at it at the same time.
The first test that I set up was a rather large one with me making 4 batches of hummus comparing dried vs canned and peeled vs unpeeled. The results were that the cooked chickpea hummus was lighter, cleaner and creamier than the canned chickpea hummus which was coarser and required more liquid to puree. The differences between the peeled vs unpeeled were that the peeled was smoother with a lighter and brighter flavour and the unpeeled was coarser with a heavier, nuttier flavour. All in all I liked the cooked and peeled version the best and I will make that version when I can but the canned and unpeeled version was still very good and leagues better than any store bought, so called, hummus (more on that later).
The next test that I tried was with respect to oil. I found that a lot of ‘western’ recipes for hummus call for large amounts of oil whereas many Mediterranean recipes do not include any oil in the hummus but rather just serve the hummus topped with oil. In this test I made 3 batches of hummus, one with no oil, one with a small amount of oil and one with even more oil. I found that the recipe with a small amount of oil was slightly creamier that the one with no oil but adding more oil really did not have much affect. My conclusion to this test was that you could add 1 tablespoon of oil if you desired but it only makes a small difference from using no oil. (All tested were done with extra oil drizzled on top.)
Wow, with all of that testing, I was eating hummus for months! Hummus actually does make for a really tasty, light, healthy and satisfying meal especially when served with whole wheat pitas along with a simple side salad of cucumbers and tomatoes.
Although I made 7+ batches of hummus over 2 months I have only just started to scratch the surface of all of the different ways to make the best hummus and so I will have to continue with more tests! I felt that my tests with hummus would not be ‘complete’ without one more test, store bought hummus… When I was in the grocery store one day a top brand named hummus was on sale for only $5 for about a half a pound (argh! That’s like an 10X markup on homemade!) so I picked some up. I looked at the ingredients on the side and found all of the expected ingredients and one additional that I was not familiar with and cannot pronounce so I am going to assume that it is a preservative. In all honesty, I could not finish the thing, after just two tablespoons it tasted, well, just wrong, I could not quite place my finger on it and it left a bad aftertaste. I am not one to waste food but it was no accident that this tub of store bought hummus somehow got lost in the back of my fridge until one day I did find it and I had to throw it out without opening it for fear that what I could see growing in it might jump out and eat me. I will definitely be sticking with homemade hummus; it’s so easy to make an so much cheaper!
Hummus definitely makes for a great snack for watching the game so if you are looking for a lighter, healthier and tasty snack for the football playoffs this weekend, some homemade hummus would be perfect!
Top your hummus with something tasty, like sauteed mushrooms!
Hummus
A smooth and creamy chickpea dip or spread that is nice and light, healthy and addictively good! Who knew that authentic hummus was so easy to make at home?
ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas, picked over
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (optional)
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (~1 lemon)
- salt to taste
directions
- Cover the chickpeas in two inches of water, mix in the baking soda and let sit over night before rinsing well.
- Place the chickpeas in a pot, cover with 2 inches water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the chickpeas are tender enough that you can crush them between your fingers and that you can easily pinch off their skins, about 1 1/2 – 2 hours before draining, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Skim off any scum that may form on the surface of the water after bringing it to a boil.
- Puree everything in a food processor adding as much of the reserved cooking liquid as needed to get the hummus to the desired consistency.
Option: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil off for a smoother hummus.
Option: Serve topped with chickpeas, olive oil, chopped parsley, paprika and cumin to taste.
Tip: Look for tahini with a lighter colour that has a sweet after taste as tahini darkens with age and becomes bitter and you don’t want that in your hummus.
Tip: Try to get dried chickpeas that are not too old as old chickpeas may not ever soften just like other dried other beans.
Slow Cooker Hummus
An easy slow cooker hummus recipe!
ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas, picked over
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (optional)
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (~1 lemon)
- salt to taste
directions
- Cover the chickpeas in two inches of water, mix in the baking soda and let sit over night before rinsing well.
- Place the chickpeas in a slow cooker, covered with 2 inches of water, and cook on low for 6-10 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the chickpeas are tender enough that you can crush them between your fingers and that you can easily pinch off their skins, before draining, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
- Puree everything in a food processor adding as much of the reserved cooking liquid as needed to get the hummus to the desired consistency.
Quick and Easy 5 Minute Hummus
An addictively good homemade creamy chickpea dip or spread that is ready in 5 minutes!
ingredients
- 2 (15 ounce) cans (~3 cups) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (~1 lemon)
- salt to taste
directions
- Puree everything in a food processor adding as much water as needed to get the desired consistency.
Option: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil off for a smoother hummus.
Option: Serve topped with chickpeas, olive oil, chopped parsley, paprika and cumin to taste.
Sauteed Musrooms
Easy and irresistible sauteed mushrooms that are great with pretty much everything.
ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter or oil
- 1 small onion, sliced or diced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme, chopped (optional)
- 1/4 cup white wine or broth
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped (optional)
directions
- Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms release their moisture, it evaporates and the mushrooms start to caramelize and turn golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.
- Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
- Add the wine, deglaze the pan and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!
Greek 7 Layer Dip
Quinoa Flatbread with Hummus, Tabbouleh, Feta and Pomegranate
Grilled Vegetable Panini
Chicken Shawarma Salad
Chicken Shawarma Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad Bowls
Greek Meatballs
Avocado Hummus
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Sun Dried Tomato Hummus
Pumpkin Hummus
Spinach and Artichoke Hummus
Roasted Garlic Hummus
Sun Dried Olive Hummus
Baba Ghanoush
White Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Dip
Edamame Dip
Cheesy Margherita Pizza Hummus with Pesto Pita Chips
Whipped Feta and Herb Dip
Roasted Garlic and Parmesan White Bean Dip
Everything Bagel Hummus
I’ve been dying to try hummas ever since I got my food processor, but I never got to it. Your hummas looks great!
Looks Perfect Kevin. I love homemade hummus and it’s so easy to make.
Looks great.I usually bought canned, but now I made my own
Yum! I made hummus once… but the tahini was really overpowering and it wasn’t nice! I’m going to try again, after seeing your delicious shots!
Ahh, hummus!
After eating spoonfuls of hummus just by itself, I like serving mine with veggies, little mini pita breads, and toasted spiced tortillas. Hummus on crostini with red roasted peppers and balsamic vinegar is divine.
I have never actually tried hummus (yet!). Yours looks fantastic though!
Hummus is sooo good! I eat it the same as you, or sometimes I just pulse the chick peas so they are rough chopped, and the other ingredients, and serve it as a rustic style dipper with different crackers. Yum.
I love how you have the hummus presented on the baguettes. Yummy. I love to eat it with pita chips and veggie sticks.
Looks good, and reminds me, I haven’t made hummus in awhile! I love to make sandwiches, with just hummus, greens and tomato on a pita… YUM!
that looks like a great appetizer!
This is a favorite around our house. I always like to have a bowl of hummus in the frig and a bag of pita chips in the pantry.
I have two hummus varieties that I love: caramelized onion and roasted garlic. I use them as dips, sandwich spreads, toppings, etc. YUM!! :0)
Hey! I didn’t know it’s that simple! Now I’m intrigued to try it out!
Kevin, excuse me but this is for me!! I love hummus and yours look delicious! xxGloria
This is a great recipe – If you toss some toasted pine nuts on top that is a nice touch as well.
Cheers
Cathy
http://www.wheresmydamnanswer.com
I’ve never made it! I usually just make tahini, which I use in sandwiches. Well, next time I’ll try it instead of tahini and let you know how it went.
Kevin, all I can say is yumm! We love hummus here, except it so hard to stop dipping in, I feel less guilty if I dip with veggies, but I really like crunchy pita chips
the crostini looks delicious!
Homemade is always the better version and yours looks perfect paired with roasted red peppers.
You know, I’ve never had hummus before? It’s the tahini, it makes it a little too expensive to make– unless I make my own tahini too, of course! 🙂 Looks good!
thanks for the recipe! i love hummus!
Looks good.
I don’t make hummus much because hubby won’t eat it.
I could try and hide it in his veggies or something like that.
This looks yummy. Your recipes are so good Kevin and your photos are stunning. A really great Blog.
xxx
I’ve never made it myself – I will from now on though!
Ahh, that pic with the bruschetta, hummus and roasted red peppers is hot!
Kevin, I love this recipe… it is sooo light…the one I made before had much more oil, it was tasty but too heavy to eat all the time… I will definitely try your proportions… and serve it with roasted peppers is a very good idea too! 🙂
Margot
Oh yum! I love hummus, and it makes me feel really virtuous after 🙂 Once again, your pictures are stunning.
Do you use a fancy camera and tripod?
The dangerous part about hummus is knowing when to stop eating it. I swear I could polish off a whole can of chickpeas by myself:)
Oooh, pretty! Your presentation is always so elegant. Have you ever tried hummus from dried chickpeas? That is, chickpeas you soak and then cook yourself? If you process the whole thing while they’re warm from the pot, OH MAN you cannot beat warm hummus.
I’m not sure why it never occurred to me to use hummus on sandwiches. It was just sort of stuck in my head as a “goes with pitas” thing, so I rarely have it. I’ll have to try this though–gotta keep my sandwiches interesting! This sounds delicious
hummus is, quite simply, my favorite dip/spread of all time when it’s done right. yours is done right. 🙂
I love whole chickpeas seasoned with cumin and oregano, but I’ve never bought a single jar of tahini so I’ve never made my own hummus! I can get dry hummus mix from Trader Joes and that is usually what I do so I can mix in roasted garlic or sundried tomatoes or whatever else I’m craving at the time. I’d love to try something really out of the ordinary like perserved lemon or rosemary…
Yours looks wonderful!
I never knew hummus was soo easy to make! Looks great!
I’m a hummus fanatic. I put it in everything. Yours looks beautiful.
Love to eat hummus. Now I’m wishing I had some in the fridge right now!
I adore Hummus, and if anyone can make it look utterly delish it is you! I am making greek this weekend and am gonna make this!
mmm, hummus, I love it. I would definitly roll with a little cayenne pepper. Great presentation on the crostini, they look amazing.
Yet another tasty looking recipe. Nice job Kevin!
I think the first thing I made with my food processor was Hummus.
I like it more on the leomny side with oven-toasted pita chips.
Your hummus picture is great!
This is the exact same recipe I use myself except I sprinkle the finished hummus with cayenne pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin. I think it maybe a Cypriot thing!
I serve mine with warm Pita bread cut into chunks and sometimes with veggies as well.
I love hummus – I have never made my own though – will have to try this one. I just use it as a dip usually.
I can have hummus everyday, in fact I have some chickpeas soaking as we speak!
Lovely photo of that hummus Kevin, it looks gorgeous! I like hummous on a tortilla wrap with falafel and salad or a pita would do 🙂
mmmmm, I love hummus. Your crostini looks delicious!
I made your hummus recipe today. It’s delicious. I love the lemon zest in it. Wonderful touch. Goes really well with the Wednesday Chef Muhammara spread by the way;-)
Another winner!
hummas..yum..I love the olive oil drizzle on top
I love hummus and yours looks fabulous. In fact after having some homemade a few years ago, I can’t bring myself to buy it.
Dee: I am using a tripod and a Lowel Ego light for my food photography. I recently picked up a dslr camera though a month ago I was still using a point and shoot.
Do you know, I’m ashamed to admit for somebody who loves hummus as much as I do… I’ve never made my own!! Time to rectify that, methinks. I had some hummus with caramelised onions the ohter day – to die for. Love your pic, btw.
Simple, but very pretty!
You have made a beautiful hummus! Nice idea to spread it out on crostini with roasted peppers too. Mmm, mmm, mmm!
I LOVE that stuff!!
Really, really love it!
I like to make my own pitas, so natch it’s always good to have some hummus around (I like to dust mine with a bit of smoked paprika). It’s also surprisingly good with celery sticks.
Your pictures always look fantastic and it was this post of yours that helped inspire me to begin cooking more and blogging about it! Thanks and keep up the great posts and pics!
One clove of Garlic???
Watch this really fun Hummus Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORJvp_rObVc
I HIGHLY recommend taking the time to remove the skins. It’s a bit of a slog but so worth it. It makes for the very smoothest of hummus. I am a hummus addict and I am not ashamed to admit that!