Hummus | Creamy Chickpeas Spread

Talk to people from the Middle East about hummus, and the first thing you hear is that this dip in the U.S. is nothing like the one they enjoy at home. According to my Israeli friend, the right variety of chickpeas play the leading role. Latin American chickpeas are better for soups and salads because they are larger, firmer, and whole when cooked. The best for hummus are pea-size chickpeas known as Baladi in Israel. They become soft and easily smashed between fingers when cooked. Unfortunately, in the United States, all chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) are labeled the same unless you shop for them at ethnic stores. And even if you make a trip to an ethnic grocery store, Indian, for example, the chickpea names will be specific to Indian cuisine — larger Kabuli and smaller Desi aka chana dhal. Choosing the suitable chickpeas variety is not an option for an average grocery shopper who craves fantastic hummus. What is the option, then? Skin Them! Try it and see the amount of them. You'll be impressed. If you do not remove them, all that cellulose in the bowl on the left ends up in your hummus affecting the texture and taste. And then, it goes into your digestive tract. According to Keith Ball, removing the skin is also beneficial for those who want to enjoy eating chickpeas without side-effect flatulence.

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Measure 1 cup (240ml) of dry chickpeas. Place them into a container, add 4 cups of cold water, cover, and place in a fridge to soak for 24 hours. They are properly soaked if the skins are slippery and you can easily pop the beans out of their skins with your fingers.

Step 2

Transfer skinless chickpeas into an Instant Pot insert pot and cover them with cold water, 2 inches of water over the beans. Secure the lid and close valve to "seal." Set the Instant Pot to "Manual," "High Pressure" for 20 minutes + natural release. Check the chickpeas. They should be soft and mushy. Strain them reserving about a cup of stock. Let them cool down to room temperature.

Step 3

Combine all hummus ingredients — cooked chickpeas, stock, peeled garlic, lemon juice, sesame paste, sea salt — in a blender jar and blend until smooth and creamy. Add more stock if needed, a little at a time. The consistency of hummus should be not too thin, not too thick. Taste it and adjust the seasoning to your taste.

Step 4

Transfer the hummus to a shallow bowl and top with high-quality extra virgin olive oil, herb pesto, or other favorite toppings. Fresh homemade hummus can be stored in a fridge for up to 3 days.

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