HUMBLE HUMMUS

Humble and Hearty Hummus

Hummus is possibly one of the most moreish, delicious, nutritious and clever culinary inventions of all time! And indeed it is a very humble and hearty dish- full of protein and healthy fats. It is simply addictive with its wondrous garlic kick and zesty lemon notes, and it truly is the perfect accompaniment to just about anything! With eggs, as a dip to crudites and sweet potato fries, as a salad dressing, stirred through quinoa- I just can't get enough of this creamy Middle Eastern kitchen staple!

So here you have the recipe for the real deal Hummus with a capital H- soaking dried chickpeas and all. It may seem daunting at first, but it is actually really simple just remember to soak the chickpeas the day before you actually want to eat the hummus. Do give it a go with the dried chickpeas, as the flavour and texture is just incredible and surpasses anything you will ever get from the supermarket or made from tinned chickpeas.

Wisdom straight from the Master of Hummus himself, Yotam Ottolenghi (one of my all-time food heroes): "The chickpeas must be dried and soaked overnight with some bicarbonate of soda: the texture of hummus should be utterly smooth and soft and this is the way to prepare the peas before they are cooked." And don't get him started on the use of olive oil, greek yoghurt and tinned chickpeas to make hummus- in short, they do not belong in there!

So trust me, you won't be disappointed, this hummus is creamy, indulgent, smooth, silky and just plain delicious! Wishing you all Happy Hummus Making!

Humble & Hearty Hummus

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (200g) dried organic chickpeas 
• 3 cups (700ml) fresh filtered water
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 
• 5 cloves garlic 
• 1 tablespoon of sea salt
• 1/2 cup light tahini
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• juice of half lemon (approx 5 tablespoons)

To garnish:

• handful of whole cooked chickpeas (reserve a handful)
• fresh parsley
• cumin seeds
• drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. Soak the chickpeas in a glass or ceramic bowl filled with the fresh filtered water and bicarbonate of soda.

2. Cover with a cloth and allow to soak for approximately 24 hours up to 48 hours (you will notice the chickpeas expand in volume, feel free to change the water after 24 hours).

3. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and place in a pot with 6 cups (1.5 litres) of fresh filtered water, garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of sea salt.

4. Bring to the boil, then lower the temperature and let simmer for 3 hours or until the chickpeas feel soft. Skim off any foam or skin from the chickpeas that rises to the surface.

5. Drain through a colander/sieve over a bowl to reserve the cooking water.

6. Place the cooked chickpeas (reserve a handful for garnish), cooked garlic (and if you love garlic as much as we do, add 2 cloves of raw garlic at this stage) in a food processor with the remaining ingredients and half a cup of the cooking water. Mix for a few minutes, until smooth. Taste and feel the consistency. Add more salt or cooking water if desired. Keep blending until you reach a super smooth and creamy hummus.

7. Place in a bowl, sprinkle a few whole chickpeas in the middle, drizzle with olive oil, fresh parsley and cumin seeds.

8. If you are not eating it immediately, then cover the hummus with cling film and it will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.