Humm....us

A couple of days ago Kenya G. Johnson wrote about her "men" eating all the hummus she'd bought for herself.  I commented that I have an easy hummus recipe, and she encouraged me to post it.  Here you go, Kenya!

Several years ago I found a recipe for "lite" hummus in the newspaper.  The first time I made it I knew it was a keeper.  Now I do it so much I started buying bags of dried garbanzo beans from the ethnic market, which I cook and store in the freezer in recipe-sized containers.

 If you have a food processor, it takes less than five minutes to put together a batch.  The only exotic ingredient is tahini (sesame seed paste), which you'll find in the Middle Eastern aisle of the grocery store.  It's pricy, but important; the combination of chickpeas and  tahini creates a dish with all the essential ammino acids for a complete protein.

This recipe is very versatile.   Sometimes I add a couple of handfuls of fresh parsley or cilantro.  Roasted red peppers make the spread a beautiful red color.  To give it some heat you can include jalapenos or a spoonful of  chipotle.  Any way you make it it's great!

The basic recipe:

• 1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans (2 cups)
• 1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
• 3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas and olive oil. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Five years ago today: The Search Is On