THERE'S HUMMUS AND THEN THERE'S HUMMUS....

SUPER SMOOTH AND CREAMY HUMMUS, BEST EVER!!

We love Middle Eastern Food, all of it. A good Lamb Gyro is something out of a dream! But then so is Baba Ganoush, Labne, Dolmah, Falafel, Kibbeh both the fried but especially the raw with Pine Nuts (Oh my favorite!), Shawarma, Lentils, Fried Chicken, Kebabs, etc. just wonderful. So I was thinking and missing some really great Hummus, I'll make some grilled Yogurt marinated chicken later but for now I'll do the Hummus for a great snack.

Now you can make Hummus in lots of flavors (Avocado, Red Pepper, etc.) make it with Tahini or not, use Yogurt or not, and since you make it at home you can tailor it to your particular taste so it's just perfect. Hummus is also very nutritionally rich due to its main ingredient: chickpeas or garbanzo beans. Very simple ingredients and you're ready to go.

Now a word about the invariable argument: to use canned chickpeas or not. I've used both to tell the truth and while we're on a truth thing I can state that even with the added heavy labor, and it IS heavy labor having to remove the skins for each and every chickpea and it took me HOURS this afternoon just to get them ready, I swear! I sat down with the bowl of chickpeas on my lap and turned on the tv and realized the movie I put on was a BOMB and didn't change it because my hands were caked with chickpeas and all I wanted was to get it done so I watched the entire horrible movie! Hahaha, I'm not kidding, once I was done with that it only took me a moment to get the Hummus done so I can relate and understand why you would use canned garbanzo beans, and while they don't taste the same, I can relate.

If you want to make Hummus, this is what you will need:

1 bag Garbanzo beans, dried
1/2 onion piece
2-3 whole garlic cloves for cooking the chickpeas
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1/3 - 1/2 cup Tahini (Sesame Seed Spread) if using -or-
1/3 - 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt, if using or you can omit altogether
1/3 - 1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Salt, generous
Some of the chickpea cooking liquid
Good Olive Oil
Cayenne Pepper, optional

The garbanzo beans are placed in a Pressure Cooker, covered with water, add the onion, garlic and cook for 45 minutes once it comes up to temperature. If you don't use a pressure cooker then you need a heavy Dutch Oven and cook them until done, much longer this way but you can soak them the night before and it will shorten the cooking time, if you add some Bicarbonate Soda it will help with taking off the skins later. Keep an eye on the water so it doesn't all evaporate.

Once the chickpeas as cooked and cooled, drain them and reserve the cooking liquid. Now in a food processor (I do the initial blending in the food processor and then do the fine blend with my immersion blender) and put the chickpeas and garlic. Process until it looks like cookie dough. Add the Tahini if using (or yogurt) and process more until it comes together.

Now you will add the lemon juice, salt and process. If the texture is to your liking then you're good. At this point I switch to the immersion blender and do a couple of batches in the cup belonging to the immersion blender and process more adding a little of the cooking  liquid and moving the blender up and down until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Now I pour the Hummus into a dish, make a well in the middle and pour in some Olive Oil and sprinkle some of the cayenne around the edge. Serve with Pita Bread or crackers or Birotes or Baguettes, I picked up some crisps made for "Capirotada" at the baker's and they were perfect!

Smooth, fluffy, creamy Hummus is much better than any grainy Hummus I've had before, sure it's an extra step plus demands you remove the skins from the chickpeas, but it's worth it every time!

What can you serve Hummus with? Almost anything....  with bread or crackers, Pita, Baguettes to begin with, then move onto Lettuce leaves, Romaine Leaves, Arugula, Red Arugula, any raw vegetable like broccoli, carrots, celery, red bell pepper and from there you could make steamed vegetables of all types and pair them with the Hummus. You can serve it on the side of fish, chicken or vegetable dishes.... savor it and you'll start getting all kinds of ideas....

What other kinds of flavors can you add to Hummus? Well, there the original lemony Hummus, then Avocado, Beet, Sun Dried Tomato, Red Bell Pepper which I LOVE, Basil, Chipotle, Roasted Garlic, Black Bean, Caramelized Onion, Cilantro Jalapeño, Artichoke, Roasted Carrot and Cumin, Curry Spiced Lentil, Garam Masala, Garlic and Rosemary, Spinach, Pumpkin, Roasted Eggplant.... you get the idea, right? Vegetarian,,,YEP  Vegan... YEP  Healthy... Double YEP

If you like Hummus at a restaurant or store bought, you'll absolutely love it when you make it!


 So I hope you will do yourself a favor and make your own Hummus, for you and yours, you'll be glad you did! Enjoy!!