Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (plus additional to taste)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (plus additional to taste)
- 3/4 cup tahini
- 3 ice cubes
- 4 to 6 tablespoons ice water
- Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
- Ground paprika or sumac for sprinkling
- Zaatar for sprinkling
Boil chickpeas with sodium bicarbonate
In a medium-sized pot, place the canned chickpeas and cover with enough water (1½ inches) to fill.
Add in sodium bicarbonate, which will soften and quicken the rehydration process.
Bring the water to a rolling boil; reduce the heat to medium-low and continue simmering the chickpeas for 20 minutes (or until soft and many skins float to the surface, with some broken skins).
Sodium bicarbonate helps break down the skins on chickpeas, making it much easier to blend them smooth.
Prep garlic while cooking chickpeas
Peel and finely chop (or grate) garlic and place in a small bowl; add lemon juice and mix together.
Let this mixture sit for 10 minutes (or until chickpeas are softened) to mellow the flavor of the garlic, which will help to prevent any overly pungent flavor from the garlic.
Drain and rinse chickpeas
Return the cooked chickpeas to the pot and rinse with warm water, swishing them around with your hand, to remove any residual ‘tinny’ taste from the canning process.
Pour the water off the surface of the chickpeas, which will carry away some of the floating skins that were removed; continue to drain completely.
Keep 2 tablespoons of intact chickpeas for garnish if desired, and then transfer all remaining chickpeas to a food processor or high-speed blender while they are still warm.
Create the base
Strain lemon/garlic mixture through a fine mesh strainer into the food processor; press solids from the strainer back into the food processor.
Add salt.
If you like the flavor of garlic and want a stronger punch, this step is unnecessary and you can pour the mixture in without straining.
Blend the chickpeas well for at least 1 minute (or until as smooth as possible).
As needed, stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add tahini and ice to make hummus creamy
Add the tahini and ice cubes.
Blend until completely smooth and creamy; as needed, stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Ice cubes will create a fluffy, light texture for the hummus while keeping it cool.
Add ice water to adjust the consistency
Hummus should have the consistency of thick yogurt.
You may want to add ice water to thin the hummus out.
Take some cold water in a small measuring cup, add a handful of ice cubes; keep the water cold.
Turn on the food processor, and while it is running, drizzle in approximately 3 tablespoons of ice water; continue adding 1 tablespoon at a time until you find the desired consistency.
Add seasoning and serve
Taste to see if you need to add additional salt or lemon juice.
Transfer to a serving platter and spoon a few ‘swirls’ and a shallow crater in the center; drizzle with olive oil generously.
Place reserved chickpeas in the ‘crater’; sprinkle with paprika, sumac, and/or Zaatar spices according to taste preferences.
Homemade Hummus
Ingredients
~6 servings
- 2 cans chickpeas 15-ounce, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice plus additional to taste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt plus additional to taste
- 3/4 cup tahini
- 3 ice cubes
- 4 to 6 tablespoons ice water
- Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
- Ground paprika or sumac for sprinkling
- Zaatar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Boil chickpeas with baking soda for 20 minutes until soft and skins start breaking.
- Mince garlic and mix with lemon juice. Let sit 10 minutes.
- Drain chickpeas, rinse with warm water, remove loose skins.
- Transfer warm chickpeas to food processor. Strain lemon-garlic mixture into processor.
- Blend chickpeas for 1 minute until very smooth.
- Add tahini and ice cubes. Blend until creamy.
- Stream in ice water to reach yogurt-like consistency.
- Taste and adjust salt and lemon juice.
- Transfer to serving plate. Create swooshes and well in center.
- Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle reserved chickpeas, paprika, sumac, and zaatar.
