This is a special recipe to me because it was my first. During college I would sometimes buy hummus from the grocery store and was alway sorely disappointed. I soon began adding ingredients, more garlic and some lemon, but it never tasted quite right. Then I saw that it was made with corn oil. This was repugnant to me. Why would you use such a lousy oil in comparison with olive oil? Of course, it is cheap. I then decided to start making my own. I have been working on this for over a decade. I hope you will make this according to your tastes. You may find this much garlic too pungent, or want more or less salt. You may like it thinner or thicker. I have included instructions on how to do this.
Ingredients:
5 cups of fully soaked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or 2 large cans
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/4-1/2 cup of warm water
1/4-1/2 cup of lemon juice
1/4-1/2 cup of tahini
5-10 cloves of fresh garlic
1/2-1 1/2 tbs salt
Garnish:
Sumac (a Middle Eastern spice you can find at a Middle Eastern grocery store or online). You can substitute paprika.
1 tbs olive oil
An olive
First, make sure that your chickpeas are fully plumped up after soaking. I use a slow cooker on low, covering dried beans with water and adding more if needed. It takes a few hours. I have found that soaking them overnight leaves them too brittle. If you wish to use the stove, just simmer for a few hours. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Combine all ingredients except those for garnish in a food processor. Blend until creamy and smooth. If it never gets smooth, the chickpeas were not plump with enough water. Now is the important part–use your taste buds to get the right balance of flavors (how you like it). Add more salt, tahini, lemon, water or garlic. Try adjusting proportions next time. When it tastes as you like it, pour into a bowl, drizzle olive oil on top, sprinkle with sumac or paprika, and top with a green olive. Serve with hot, fresh bread, or vegetable slices.
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