As writer and food advocate Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma tells it, the best way to enjoy hummus is by making it yourself. She recounts the story of her discovery in her new book, Good Food, Healthy Planet: Your Kitchen Companion to Simple, Practical, Sustainable Cooking: “Shortly after we were married in India, my husband and I moved to Dubai for a few years. It was there that I had my first bite of traditional hummus – a blend of sesame seeds, boiled chickpeas and lemon juice. Since then, I’ve had this dip at more meals in more ways than I can remember. One thing is clear: you have not tasted hummus till you have made it yourself in your own kitchen. There’s something quite timeless about dried, dormant legumes being turned into this lovely quite addictive dip.”
Simple Hummus
Ingredients
- 1 cup boiled chickpeas or canned chickpeas
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp lime juice lemon juice will work too
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- ¼ cup water approx.
- ⅓ tsp salt approx.
- cooked chickpeas and sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- In a food processor, blend together the chickpeas, 3 tbsp of the olive oil, the tahini, garlic, lime juice and sesame seeds. Add the water a little at a time until you reach the desired, paste-y consistency. I like it just a minute before smooth; my family likes it as creamy as possible. Add salt to taste, about 1⁄3 tsp.
- Garnish with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, a few cooked chickpeas and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve with warm pita, crackers or sliced veggies.
Notes
• Browned garlic and roasted pine nuts
• Za’atar and paprika
• Roasted red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes
• Dried mint, swirled right through
More recipes from Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma
Scrap Vegetable Stock
Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma's instructions for making a versatile stock with leftover vegetable scraps.
Get the recipe
Turkish-Style Eggs
Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma's recipe for cilbir (Turkish poached eggs served with a garlicky yogurt sauce and spiced butter).
Get the recipe
