Making Your Own Hummus
Making your own hummus is pretty easy chick-peasy- lemon-squeezy!
Ingredients:
4 c. chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
juice of one medium lemon
1/3 c. tahini (sesame paste) and water to make 1/2 cup
salt or tamari to taste
optional ingredients- Cumin,crushed garlic (found in almost EVERY hummus recipe!), soaked sundried tomatoes, herbs, capers, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, pepper (black, white or cayenne)
You just drain your beans and while they are draining, put the remaining ingredients in a food processor. Blend. Then add your beans and blend to a paste. Taste and adjust seasonings. You can also add additional ingredients after blending if you would like them to retain their integrity such as chopped olives or finely chopped carrots and celery. For a creamier hummus you can add some soft tofu or plain yogurt.
If you can plan ahead, cook your chickpeas from dry chickpeas soaked overnight and boiled until very soft. Make sure to cool the beans first as the temperature of the beans will affect the consistancy of the hummus. Canned beans will work in a pinch but don’t taste as fresh. If you must use them, make sure to rinse them well.
Garnish your hummus with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of paprika and some fresh chopped parsley. Serve with pita bread, crackers and raw veggies. Hummus is a great sandwich spread and also works well in wraps and on bagels. Store covered, in the refrigerator.