We love to eat hummus with slices of raw celery, carrots, red, yellow and orange bell peppers. It is a great way to snack on something crunch, filling, tangy, and not feel guilty in the very least. I make hummus at least once in a couple of weeks and serve it as a mid-day stop gap between meals. A dash of golden olive oil, some roasted ivory colored pine nuts, and a sprinkling of dazzling red paprika surrounded by rainbow vegetables. Looks good, feels good, tastes good. Bon appetit!
3CupsChana (Chickpeas)Whole Garbanzoes, cooked or canned (1 can of 425 grams)
1/4CupLemon JuiceFresh
1/4CupTahiniWell Stirred
1CloveGarlicMinced
4TablespoonsOlive Oil
1/2TeaspoonHimalayan Pink SaltOr To Taste
3/4TeaspoonCumin Powder
1/2TeaspoonPaprikaOr To Taste
3-4TablespoonsFiltered water
2TeaspoonsPine NutsToasted
Instructions
If you are using dried garbanzos, soak in water (make sure all the beans are immersed in water) for 8-10 hours. Pressure cook the garbanzos or cook over open flame (this will take lot longer) until the garbanzos are tender. If you are using canned chickpeas, drain the water and rinse the garbanzos under running water. Set aside.
Add tahini and lemon juice to a high speed blender and process for 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl and process again for 30 seconds. This makes the tahini very smooth and creamy. Add the minced garlic, olive oil, cumin powder and salt to the blender and process for 30-60 seconds, wiping down the sides a couple of times so everything nicely blends together. Add the chickpeas and process for 2-3 minutes, repeatedly scraping the sides until the consistency is smooth. If needed, add water to help grind down the chickpeas.
Dribble some olive oil, sprinkle a dash of paprika for a bit of spiciness, some toasted pine nuts for crunchiness and enjoy! A few other ideas:Cut up some carrots, celery, bell peppers and dip in! Other options to add as toppings are chopped tomato, cucumber, coriander, parsley, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, whole boiled chickpeas, pieces of hard-boiled eggs, and olives. Use your imagination, and let it go wild.