Fried Chickpea Hummus Food

FRIED-CHICKPEA HUMMUS

Steps:

• Make Tahini Dip; puree with 1/2 can chickpeas. Microwave until warm. Fry the other 1/2 can chickpeas in olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Top the hummus with the fried chickpeas, red pepper flakes and chopped parsley.
• Tahini Dip
• Puree 1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste), the juice of 2 lemons, 2 teaspoons ground cumin and 1 minced garlic clove. Drizzle in 1/2 cup hot water; puree until smooth.
• See all 50 Game-Day Dips

HUMMUS FROM DRIED CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Bring chickpeas to boiling then simmer about 1/2 hour until tender.
• Drain chickpeas, reserving liquid. Let stand until cool enough to handle. (Using warm to hot chickpeas makes it possible to process a softer texture that will then stiffen to a nice, spreadable paste).
• Process in blender or food processor in 2-3 batches according to the size/capability of your equipment. Use enough of the chickpea cooking liquid to get a texture like soft peanut butter.
• Mix the batches together in a large bowl.
• Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. (If you need more garlic return a half batch to the blender, process it smooth, and stir back into the rest).
• Pack in freezer containers of an appropriate size for your household.
• Tip -- This makes a nice hostess gift when attractively packaged.
• Tip -- Tahini often separates in the can or jar. Rather than trying to mix it in the can then measure it just put the whole can/jar into the blender, whip it up, and pour back the excess.

CLASSIC HUMMUS WITH FRIED CHICKPEAS AND PARSLEY OIL

Steps:

• Cover the chickpeas with 4 cups water in a large pot with 1 teaspoon baking soda and refrigerate 8 hours or up to overnight to soak.
• Strain the chickpeas and discard the soaking liquid. Rinse the chickpeas and return them to the pot. Add the remaining teaspoon baking soda and water to cover by about 3 inches over the chickpeas. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down to a simmer and cook, skimming off and discarding any foam that rises to the surface. Cook the chickpeas until tender but still hold their shape, about 30 minutes. Remove 1 cup of chickpeas from the pot with a slotted spoon. Drain well and reserve on a paper towel-lined plate to dry. Continue cooking the remaining chickpeas until they are mostly intact and soft and creamy (not crumbly) when pressed between a thumb and forefinger, about 10 minutes more. If the liquid boils off too much while cooking, add more water to cover and continue to cook.
• Meanwhile, make the parsley oil. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the parsley leaves and cook 10 seconds, then drain. Immediately run the parsley under very cold water to cool it completely, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Squeeze out the excess liquid and then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to dry.
• When the chickpeas are done cooking, strain them and discard the liquid. Let the chickpeas sit in the strainer to drain and dry out for 5 minutes. Put the chickpeas in the bowl of a food processor along with the tahini, lemon juice, garlic and 1 3/4 teaspoons salt and process until the mixture is a paste, scraping down the bowl as necessary. With the motor running, slowly pour in 1/4 cup of the ice water and continue to process, adding more water by the tablespoon as necessary, until the mixture is smooth and light, about 5 minutes. The hummus should be slightly loose because it will firm up as it sits.
• Transfer the hummus to a shallow bowl and cover by lightly pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface; set aside until ready to serve. (The hummus can also be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.)
• Put the cooked parsley leaves in a blender along with 1/2 cup olive oil and puree until the parsley is fine and the oil green, about 5 minutes. Transfer the parsley oil to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface. Parsley oil can be used right away, or held at room temperature up to 6 hours
• Just before serving, fry the chickpeas. Heat the remaining 1/2 cup oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Pat the reserved chickpeas dry with a clean towel and carefully add them to the skillet. (The oil will bubble up for a few seconds.) Fry, shaking the pan occasionally, until browned and crisp, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer the chickpeas to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Immediately sprinkle with the lemon zest, cayenne, cumin and some salt; toss to coat.
• Remove the plastic wrap from the reserved hummus. Make a shallow circular indentation with the back of a spoon in the center of the hummus. Mound the fried chickpeas in the center of the hummus. Drizzle with the parsley oil, spooning most of it around the edges of the hummus.

CHICKPEA HUMMUS

Steps:

• Place everything in a food processor and blend together.
• Add water until hummus is slightly less thick then desired, as it will thicken in the refrigerator.
• Chill for about an hour.