For as long as I can remember, our family has gotten the same brand of hummus from the same couple of stores, and that has been great because we all love it. Then it occurred to me that I could make my own hummus. I had always thought, why change something up if it seems to be working out, right? I have subconsciously applied this mindset to so much of the food that we get from the store - but it doesn't have to be that way! Just because something is good, doesn't mean there isn't something out there that is better. It can also be fun to spice things up a little bit, even if you don't think something is better, it can still be different, and taste great.
This hummus did not taste like the store bought hummus, and that was the best part about it. I went into the process thinking that my end result was going to be just like the kind of hummus we get from the store, because I didn't have any other reference points. I didn't know how much I didn't know about hummus. What I got from this recipe was a coarser paste that highlighted the lemon and garlic, compared to store bought, which is a smoother, less flavorful paste. The great thing about homemade hummus is that you get to chose what flavors stand out. Add more garlic, and you get a garlicky hummus, throw in some roasted red peppers and you have a whole new flavor!
I found this recipe for homemade hummus on the food blog Inspired Taste and they present the reader with an option: leave the skins on, or remove the chickpea skins for a smoother result, adding about ten minutes. I chose to leave the skins on and I noticed that the result was not as smooth, but in a good way. I figured, if I am going to go for a whole new experience with hummus, why try and make it exactly like the store bought kind? Now that I know how easy it is to make hummus from my own kitchen, I will be making it all the time!
Yields: 1 1/2 cups Active Time: 10 mins Total: 10 mins
Ingredients ~
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas or 1 1/2 cups (250 grams) cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)
1/4 cup (60 ml) well-stirred tahini, see our homemade tahini recipe
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) water
Dash ground paprika or sumac, for serving
Instructions ~
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini and lemon juice and process for 1 minute, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process for 30 seconds more. This extra time helps “whip” or “cream” the tahini, making the hummus smooth and creamy.
Add the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice. Process for 30 seconds, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process another 30 seconds or until well blended. Open, drain, and rinse the chickpeas. Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl, then add remaining chickpeas and process until thick and quite smooth; 1 to 2 minutes.
Most likely the hummus will be too thick or still have tiny bits of chickpea. To fix this, with the food processor turned on, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until you reach the perfect consistency.
Taste for salt and adjust as needed. Serve hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and dash of paprika. Store homemade hummus in an airtight container and refrigerate up to one week.
Recipe From: Inspired Taste
Caroline nailed this one -- this had great texture making for a far more interesting 'mouth experience', and richer, deeper flavors for sure