How to make hummus from scratch

I love hummus, I often have it alongside chopped sticks of carrots or cucumber as a light lunch or late evening snack. I like the natural sesame and lemon flavour, I love experimenting with different variations, too. There are two recipes so that you can make your own from scratch: natural flavour and spicy, pepper hummus.

Head straight to the recipe

Hummus is one of the most loved Middle-Eastern dip and the commercialised flavour varieties keep on filling the shelves. It was one of my favourite treats when I was in London, be it a picnic in the park or a small box already packed with carrots and cucumbers in my bag to take for lunch in the office. In Greece, believe it or not, hummus along with falafel is a relatively new addition to the standard mezze menu. We do chick-peas, mostly as a winter meal, in a simple, hearty soup or as a stew. This flavoursome dip has been added to the restaurant menus only in the last few years, along with falafel. No complains there, of course.

I love the versatility of chick-peas and how well it combines with many different spices. Be it cumin and lemon or paprika and pepper. It’s a very simple dip to make that has hardly any secrets but the quality of its few ingredients. Choose a good quality tahini, your sesame paste is key to binding it and try as you go whizzing your ingredients to keep the balance of flavours. Especially when it comes to the classic natural hummus with lemon, the citrus can make it or break. So start adding it gradually and tasting it all the way. Here are two versions, the natural sesame and lemon hummus and a spicy one, with pepper and boukovo, spicy paprika flakes for extra heat.

Ingredients

Natural flavoured hummus

• 200 gr chickpeas cooked or canned
• 1 lemon for its juice
• 1 garlic clove
• 100 ml tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 4 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika, sweet
• chives to decorate (optional)

For the spicy pepper hummus

• 200 gr chickpeas cooked or canned
• 1 garlic clove
• 100 ml tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 4 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 red pepper
• 1 tsp of spicy paprika

Tools: food processor

How to make it:

1. If you are making hummus from scratch, soak the chickpeas overnight, rinse and boil until softened.
2. If you are making hummus with canned chickpeas, drain before adding to the food processor.
3. In the food processor along with the chickpeas, add the tahini, olive oil, mashed garlic clove, salt and sweet paprika.
4. Blend until creamy, add the lemon juice gradually, a spoonful at a time towards the end and make sure to adjust to taste. Some lemons are very fragrant other a bit more acidic so you will need a little less. Adjust to your taste.

For the spicy pepper hummus

1. As before, add the chickpeas, paprika sweet and spicy, one finely chopped red pepper, the garlic, olive oil, water and omit the lemon.
2. Blend until creamy and serve with carrot or cucumber sticks, grissini or pita bread.

Enjoy with good company and an ample supply of grissini! Have you been experimenting with hummus? Let me know your favourite flavours in the comments below.

from Athens with love,

Eugenia

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