Simple hummus
To be most economical, buy dried chickpeas, soak overnight and cook, covered, until tender – 20-30 minutes. However, there are pretty good cans and jars available, so experiment with them first to see how well you like this recipe. For added texture interest, set aside some whole chickpeas and lightly crush them before adding them into the blended mixture. Add some cooked red pepper, fresh basil, mint or parsley to vary the flavour and colour. 500g cooked chickpeas 150g tahini paste or sesame seeds 3-4 cloves garlic Juice 1-2 large lemons 3 tbsp olive oil Salt + black pepper Grind the sesame seeds in a coffee grinder or other gadget to make a paste. Scrape into a blender and add the rest of the ingredients, keeping some of the juice of the second lemon so you can judge if the rest is needed. Add a tablespoon of the chickpea liquid to help its creaminess. Blend until smooth, adding more chickpea liquid so it’s quite light. Add more lemon juice if it’s not a little tart. It needs this to liven the flavour. It’s also good with a little curry powder or cumin added. Spoon into pots or bowls and float a little olive oil on top, along with a sprig of parsley or coriander or a sprinkling of paprika.
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Roz Crowley 