Hummus
Every year at Thanksgiving, my dad’s side of the family partakes in a delicious mishmash of semi-traditional dishes and Middle Eastern cuisine. We have tabbouleh, grape leaves, hushwi (sadly, not vegetarian… yet), kibbe (ditto), spinach (and meat) pies, and Syrian bread (i.e. pita). For my part, I bring The Hummus.
I guess I’m a bit of a snob about hummus. Real hummus is made from chick-peas… none of this black bean hummus business. Though I dearly love black beans, that’s called dip. Not hummus. And using peanut butter? That’s just wrong.
Ingredients
2 cans (or equivalent cooked) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 to 2/3 cup lemon juice (start with less and add more if you like)
3-5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup tahini
1 tsp salt
Add all ingredients to your food processor and blend until smooth. This will likely take a few minutes. Be patient – you don’t want your hummus to be full of chick-pea skins. You can add a little water in small increments if the hummus is too thick, but I prefer extra lemon juice instead.
Tags: hummus, vegetarian cooking
I am not someone who feels the need for dishes to be “authentic,” because I think it’s nearly impossible to call something authentic as all cooks who make a dish make it in their own way. But um . . . yeah. Hummus is not black beans or peanut butter. It’s chickpeas. That I can support.
I agree. Although, I do like to add a splash of balsamic vinegar instead of water to my homemade humus now and then. Also, it’s fabulous served up with a sprinkle of crushed sumac berries and olive oil.