The Tricks I Learned For the Perfect Hummus!

Cooking Dried Chickpeas

Place Dried Chickpeas in a pot of water overnight- add about 1/4tsp of baking soda (this will help to soften them for cooking).

Once ready to cook drain the water, rinse chickpeas add another 1/4 tsp of baking soda and bring to a boil. Once boiled reduce heat and let simmer until soft 1-2 hours depending on how old the chickpeas are (may be more dried out). As these little guys cook away, skim off the white floaty bits from the water.

Once you can squeeze the chickpeas between your finger tips they are done! Be sure to save the water you cooked your chickpeas in! This water is rich with flavour and nutrients and is a perfect addition to soup stock or cooking grains!

Now you have a large pot of chickpeas- what to do with all these chickies??

Hummus

My favourite use for cooked chickpeas is of course hummus. I am serious when I say that from scratch chickpeas make the smoothest and creamiest hummus you will ever try! If you’re feeling extra ambitious you can peel off the skins to your chickpeas- that makes it extra smooth but is a ton of work, I get it!

I prepare my hummus in my food processor with a few simple ingredients

Smooth Tahini, Fresh Lemon Juice, Garlic, Salt (I also reserve a few chickpeas for serving later on!)

Add 1-2 cups of Chickpeas depending on how much you want to make! I really don’t follow any measurements in this recipe, I truly depend on my good old taste buds! Mix the chickpeas up a bit, 2-3, 5 second pulses. Add in a good amount of Tahini, a friend from Israel once told me that traditionally it should be a 1:1 ratio for tahini and chickpeas- so be generous!! Throw in as much garlic as you like, a little lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and if you need some liquid use that beautiful golden broth from cooking the chickpeas!

Serving Hummus

Once your hummus is nice and smooth and hits your personal flavour preference it’s time to serve- which is the really fun part!

I love to serve my hummus in a large shallow bowl or serving plate. I smear it all around, and this is when I add the Oil! Another trick I learned that Oil should be added after mixing, not directly into the hummus. I assume this is related to emulsification and creating a thicker texture- but that’s just a guess! I create a shallow middle section and glug a good amount of oil, which is perfect for dipping! I add in a few whole chickpeas and then sprinkle Za’atar (if you don’t know you should know- it’s awesome and can be found at most Middle Eastern Grocery Stores and most likely some big box stores).

Uses for Hummus

Hummus is such a beautiful and satisfying addition to almost any meal. Outside of serving on platters and as a side dish,It can also be added alongside Shakshuka or eggs for breakfast. An addition to a sandwich or salad at lunch. Or simply used as a snack after school or at work! I also love to use it as a base to a large salad as it adds great flavour, texture and is just really beautiful!

Simple Plain Hummus is also a great base for making other dishes. I like to add beets to give it more color or herbs such as Basil and Dill! I also love this Minimalist Baker recipe for a Caesar Dressing using hummus! It’s so easy and insanely addictive!

https://minimalistbaker.com/5-minute-vegan-caesar-dressing/

Good luck making all your Hummus dreams come true! If you need more ideas for cooked chickpeas, check out some of my other Chickpea recipes!!