Hummus

Hummus 

Ingredients:

Chickpeas - 1 cup 

White sesame seeds ( for tahini ) - 1/2 cup

Lemon juice - 2 tsp

Olive oil or Sesame oil - 2 tbsp

Garlic - 2 cloves

Salt to taste 

Steps:

Soak the chickpeas overnight. Boil in a pressure cooker with a pinch of salt added. Chickpeas have to be soft cooked. Drain water and keep aside.

In a preheated pan dry roast the sesame seeds. Stir continuously until the seeds change colour slightly and become fragrant. Let it cool. To prepare tahini, process the sesame seeds until a crumbly paste begins to form. Scrap down from the sides of the jar, run again after adding one or two teaspoons of olive oil. 

When a smooth paste is formed, that is it. Tahini is ready to use. 

To the tahini lemon juice and add chickpeas to blend to a fine paste. Add soaked garlic and salt to taste. Run in the processor for a minute. Transfer to a clean dry container. Lasts for a week if refrigerated. 

Use as a dip for chips, veggie sticks or as a spread. 

Choice of Hummus and Avacado spread for the toast. 

My Notes:
Please try to use home-cooked chickpeas and not a canned one. I saw many recipes using canned ones. If you soak overnight or for a minimum of 3 hours, chickpeas can be soft cooked. In a pressure cooker, it takes 20 minutes but I  have to admit that cooking in an open pot takes a longer time and troublesome. But when it comes to flavour, homecooked gives a slight edge over canned chickpeas. 

White sesame seeds, hulled seeds, best goes with this recipe than the unhulled variety. 

The order in which you add the ingredients makes the difference in texture and flavour. Tahini and lime juice to run for a minute in the processor and then add chickpeas and olive oil. finally, sprinkle some cold water. 

Fresh garlic adds a little zest. You can also exclude if garlic is not your choice.
To get off with the raw garlic taste, finely chop and soak the garlic in half tsp of olive oil for a few minutes before adding to the rest of the ingredients.

Olive oil makes the texture luxurious. Also, it is easy and smooth if you are using it as a spread. I had used it for my wholemeal toast.

Coldwater, one or two teaspoons, drizzled while processing turns the hummus more fluffy and smooth.
You can add red peppers, pine nuts or other spices for options. I had kept to the simple original recipe.
Hummus was introduced to me by my sons when we had been to dine at a restaurant serving Mediterranean dishes. I noticed a familiar taste as I dipped it and tasted with the starter. I got hooked on with the taste and will go for it whenever there is an option in the menu card.
It had taken quite a few years for me to prepare this ridiculously, yes ridiculously, easy to make dip.  and it is no less in taste and texture of the ones served at restaurants. We always cook the regular Indian style chickpea dishes- channa masala or the south Indian style sundal. Covid-19 has become an excuse to try out new recipes.😀