Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Hummus


This is the recipe I've come up with after tweaking the original for months.  Although this recipe calls for canned garbanzo beans, I have found soaking the dry beans overnight and cooking them the next day provides a deeper flavor and for much less money if you are serving a large family (or a crowd coming over for snacks).

Any cooked beans you do not use can be frozen.

If you use an entire package of dry beans, you will need to increase the other ingredients "to taste".

My favorite Hummus
2- 15.5 cans garbanzo beans (reserve about 1/4th cup liquid from can)
juice from 2 lemons
zest of 1 lemon
1 Tbs. vinegar (optional but I have found it a great addition)
1 or 2 garlic cloves
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil*
4 or 5 Tbs. tahini
salt to taste (taste first, that much lemon may not require salt)
pepper (to taste)
cumin (optional... if I use it, I only put in 1/4th teaspoon)

Optional:  Sprinkle with sumac to taste (I like a lot)

Drain beans, reserving some of the liquid.  If using garbanzo beans you have cooked, reserve some of the cooking liquid.  (Water can be used if you forget.)  Place garbanzo beans in food processor along with the garlic clove(s), lemon zest, juice of the lemons, vinegar, tahini, and 1 tbs. of the olive oil.

Pulse food processor and then let it run about a minute or two, until the hummus is almost fluffy... you know what I mean.  Add remaining olve oil, salt, pepper, and any spices... pulse food processor.

If hummus is too pasty, add reserved liquid or water a few tablespoons at a time until you get a smooth consistency.  Let the processor run another minute or two.

This is definitely one of those recipes you tweak to make your own.  I like hummus very lemony but you may want only one lemon.  I have left out the garlic when I didn't have any at home and I have even left out the tahini when I was out of it but then it becomes a bean dip.  ;)

You can add roasted red pepper to make a red pepper hummus and any web search will offer all kinds of options.

* Hummus is traditionally served with a little extra virgin olive oil poured over the top.

 Note:  I prefer the Joyva brand of tahini, sold in a can.  I store it in the frig once it has been opened in hot and humid weather.  Otherwise, I use it so quickly that I keep it on the pantry shelf.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow is this good! I made it because my son loves store-bought hummus. I knew homemade would be better. It's nice and lemony, but not too garlicky! I used a tiny amount of cumin to round it out. Thanks.

D/NY

Teresa said...

I am a Hummus fan. I eat it regularly. This looks to be a great recipe and so I pinned it on my Pinterest page so I would have it with me the next time I go to the grocery. Thank you for this recipe.