Perfectly Balanced Hummus Food

PERFECTLY BALANCED HUMMUS

Steps:

• Hummus: Combine chickpeas and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda in a bowl. Add cold water to cover; soak overnight.
• Drain and rinse chickpeas; transfer to a large pot and add 3 quarts water. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; bring to a boil. Boil until chickpeas are tender but not mushy, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Skim off any floating shells. Scoop out 1 cup; set aside. Continue cooking the rest until completely soft, about 20 minutes.
• Prepare an ice bath. Drain chickpeas and transfer to a bowl set in ice bath; let cool completely (or refrigerate, covered, up to overnight). Pick off any remaining skins (optional). Place chickpeas in a food processor with tahini, lemon juice, cumin, garlic, oil, and ice water; season with salt and pepper. Purée until smooth. If too thick, add remaining ice water, a bit at a time; purée until smooth. Season to taste.
• Tahini Sauce: Pour tahini into a medium bowl and add lemon juice. Mix with a fork or a whisk until color turns a shade lighter. Gradually whisk in about 1/2 cup icewater. The sauce should turn smooth, velvety, and almost white. Keep tinkering with water, lemon juice, and tahini until you get a consistency and flavor you like. Whisk in salt and garlic; taste and adjust seasonings. (Makes about 1 cup.)
• To serve hummus, gently reheat reserved cooked chickpeas in a small saucepan over medium. Spoon hummus into a shallow serving dish, leaving a crater in center. Add cooked chickpeas to crater; sprinkle with parsley, drizzle with oil, and lightly dust with paprika. Serve with tahini sauce and harissa.

PERFECT HUMMUS

Steps:

• Place about 1 cup (or just prep a whole bag) of dried chickpeas in a bowl and cover with water about 3 inches above the chickpeas. Soak in the fridge overnight or about 8-10 hours.
• Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas and place in a pot. Cover with water about 3 inches above the chickpeas. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 1 hour or more, until tender. You can sub these two steps with cooked, canned chickpeas, but the flavor will not be as fresh and wonderful. In a pinch when I have to use canned, I love Trader Joe's chickpeas.
• In a food processor, add 2 cups of cooked chickpeas, 1/4 cup tahini, 2 cloves of garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, the juice of 2 lemons, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, several pinches of salt, and some fresh ground pepper. Pulse until roughly chopped.
• Turn the food processor to on and pour about 1/2 cup of water in a steady stream until the hummus is blended nicely. You may need to add a little more or less water to get the desired consistency. Taste and adjust flavors to your liking. Garnish with parsley and lemon zest. Enjoy eating the real deal with pita or veggies!

HOMEMADE HUMMUS

Steps:

• Reserving 1/4 cup liquid, rinse and drain 2 cans chickpeas. Place chickpeas and reserved liquid in a food processor. Add 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup tahini, well stirred, 2 garlic cloves, chopped, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt. Process until smooth.