Recipe: Hummus

You can make your own hummus with no special skill, better and healthier than store bought and at a fraction of the cost. You can also apply this same technique with almost any other type of bean. Technique is superior to recipe; see Reading a Recipe for clarity. 

Ingredients:

Dry Chickpeas

One clove of fresh garlic, pureed with the side of your knife or a mortar and pestle.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cumin Powder

Fresh lemon

Paprika.* 

Any good salt** 

Optional Ingredients:

Chili flakes

Tahini

Cook the amount of chickpeas you think you'll want for hummus, but be aware that chickpeas will double or even triple in size from their dry state. To cook:

     -In an instant pot: Add unsoaked dry peas to pot and cover with enough water to submerge the peas by about an inch. Add more water than you think you need, since you'll be draining it, and add salt (about 1/2 teaspoon per cup of dry peas should be fine). Cook for about 40 minutes on high pressure in an instant pot, letting the steam vent out on its own. They should be very tender to make hummus. If you have an old fashioned pressure cooker, the process is the same.

    -On the stove top: If you don't have a pressure cooker, you'll want to soak the peas the night before to soften them. Add 3 times as much salted water as there are dry peas, bring to a boil then simmer until very tender. It will take much longer than in a pressure cooker, but its easier to check for doneness since you just have to fish out a chickpea from the simmer every now and then and squish it, so you know exactly when they're done.

Drain the peas. If you end up with too much peas, reserve some for salads or to make roasted chickpeas (future recipe). Reserve some of the chickpea water as well.

Add the peas to the blender, along with about two to three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil per cup of chickpeas. Add a little lemon juice, exactly one pinch each of cumin, pepper, and paprika, but reserve most of the spices for now. If you like tahini, add about a spoonful then add more as needed later. Tahini can really overpower so start slow. Add a small, pea sized amount of raw garlic per cup of hummus. Do not add the whole clove yet!

Begin to blend it, tasting as you go. If its too stiff and won't blend, it needs lubrication: add a little more oil and/or lemon juice, but only use more lemon if you feel that it needs more acidity. Remember, it now becomes a process of taste/adjust/blend/taste/adjust. Yes, this Hummus has lots of olive oil, and you love it. If you're truly shy about all the oil and the hummus is still not blending well, go ahead and add a sprinkle of the reserved chickpea water, being careful not to water down your hummus too much. Watery hummus is just miserable.

Slowly work up small amounts of each of the seasonings as you go, until it achieves a flavor balance that you prefer. But make sure that it's first adequately salted. If its undersalted, you may be adding too many spices trying to chase the flavor. So salt to taste first, then up the spices if you need it.

Cumin has a distinct, strong aroma that may put you off if you're not familiar with it. Trust me, your hummus needs at least a sprinkle of it. I personally like hummus with obscene amounts of cumin, but follow your own nose.

Paprika has a lovely, smoky aroma, but it will overrun your hummus, so be very cautious with it. 

Garlic is also a matter of taste, but remember that raw garlic is potent. Add it slowly and cautiously. Same goes for chili flakes.

Both the tahini and olive oil are fats, so if you're using tahini, compensate by using less olive oil at first (then adjust upward if needed).

* My favorite paprika is authentic Pimenton de La Vera. It can be hot or sweet paprika. Available at some groceries or very cheap on the web.

** Kosher Salt is my preference, but it does not contain essential iodine.