Easy as hummus

I make hummus for lunches at least once a week. It’s cheap, it’s easy, and it tastes so perfect with a toasted pita. My version is definitely not authentic, as it’s missing tahini, or sesame seed paste. I don’t keep tahini in the house, and I hate buying a small amount of it just for hummus. So I leave it out, and it tastes just as yummy. I think I got the idea from Mr. Food years ago, and it’s been in my repertoire ever since.

Try it as a dip with toasted pita bread, or use as a spread in wraps with a whole wheat tortilla (warmed), spinach, roasted bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber slices. Hummus also makes a great sandwich filling, along with lettuce, tomato, and avocado.

Hummus

  • 1 can chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
  • 1 small garlic clove, coarsely chopped
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cumin

Combine the chickpeas, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and cumin in a food processor. Pulse a few times, then slowly add some of the chickpea liquid, a tablespoon or two at a time, as you continue to puree the mixture. Taste the hummus for texture and flavor, adding more liquid if needed (I usually use between 1/4 to 1/3 cup, but you can use more if you prefer a more runny consistency).

Makes about 1 3/4 cups.

Source: Possibly Mr. Food.

2 responses to “Easy as hummus”

  1. Crystal I love your blog. While I am no longer a vegetarian I was for several years and my cooking is strongly reminisent of that fact. I’m always experimenting in the kitchen and generally keep a 1/3 ratio of vegetarian meals. I will be adding you to my bloglines account and visiting regularly.

  2. Hi Crystal!
    I wrote you a couple of times – once thanking you for your great brownie recipe, and another time when you started blogging again.
    Try adding to your hummus recipe a spoonful of tahine (it’s a wonderful sesame paste that I would use everyday, everywhere if I could) and substitute the cumin with fresh mint leaves (or parsley) finely chopped.
    If you want it really really aromatic, like middle-easterns usually make it (my husband is half-italian, half-lebanese), make your own “arabic spice” using a mix of ground black pepper, cinnamon, clove, (little bit of) cumin and jamaican pepper. Or try this other recipe, which seems pretty interesting as well– http://www.saveur.com/article/food/Syrian-Spice-Mix
    Hummus is my favourite dip sauce in the world, and I LOVE to feel the tahine and cinnamon+clove+pepper flavour in it!
    Tanti baci!!!

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