Beans 5 Ways Part 4: Hummus

Hummus, a healthy and delicious spread made from chick peas and sesame seeds.  At roughly 40 calories per tablespoon, it is a perfect guilt free snack food,  just don't get carried away with bread.  It's pretty good with just about anything and, unlike mayonnaise, you can eat it by the spoonful.  I used the Best Hummus Recipe from The Hummus Blog.


The first step is to gather your ingredients.

• Chick Peas.  I used the dried variety, which added several steps: soak, rinse, soak, rinse, cook, rinse, cool...they turned out pretty yummy.  It is pretty easy to find them canned though.
• Tahini (sesame seed spread) was the hardest to find, but I didn't really know what the package looked like or where in the store it might be.  If you've got a food processor you can just make it.
• Lemon juice.  Fresh is best!
• Cumin adds that smokey flavor, but kinda smells.
• Garlic.  I love garlic so I added extra, but I also used minced packaged, it would have been better with whole roasted cloves.
• Fresh Parsley.  I was half way through the recipe when I realized I didn't buy any, so I had to use dried, I think my dish suffered.
• Olive Oil.  Again, I used extra.
• Salt.  Yep, I had to add a lot to please my palate.  

When looking for pre-made tahini, I found Casablanca brand hummos! I believe Casablanca is a sister restaurant of Cafe Soriah, and that this is the same hummos recipe! I haven't had their hummos in so long I forgot what it tasted like. It was a little more bitter than I remember, but tasted more pure and simple than the stuff I usually buy. I'm very excited to try to replicate the authentic flavor. 

Here are the basic steps, see The Hummus Blog for more detail.

• Soak your chick peas overnight in clean water and baking soda. Rinse Well
• Boil Until Tender, remove foam and skins.  Save some of the cooking water.
• Puree and allow it to cool.  I rinsed mine in very cold water so it was pretty cool at this point
• Add additional ingredients...Blend
• Add whatever you want for extra flavor...
• Serve as a dip or spread.  I had mine on pitas, and also garlic sourdough bread. 

My first hummus didn't turn out perfect, but it was pretty darn close in flavor to the Casablanca Hummos that I bought.  I added extra salt, garlic, and olive oil, and I blended it pretty smooth...mmm...just writing about it is making me hungry.  Overall, Yes!, this is going into my snack menu...now if I can just get my family to eat it.

Beans 5 Ways:
Hoppin John
Garlic Sausage Lentils
Ramjah
Adzuki Bean Paste