Hummus
1 lb. cooked chickpeas (I often use canned chickpeas)
10 generous tablespoon tahini
½ cup water
1 lemon, juice
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black or white pepper
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For decoration:
Parsley
drizzle of olive oil
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
pine nuts (optional)
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Note: There are as many variations to this popular dish as many villages in the Middle East, but there is a consensus that what determine the quality of the dish is the quality of the Tahini used. I use the best I can find in local Middle Eastern markets.
If you make your own tahini, follow the these steps
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Place the tahini in a food processor, while processing add small amounts of water till gets to be an off-white, soft peanut butter-like consistency.
Remove from the food processor.
Place the cooked chickpeas in the same food processor bowl (if using canned chickpeas, rinse very well), add lemon juice, crushed garlic, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.
Process till mostly smooth.
Add tahini and continue to process until very smooth. Add lemon juice and more of the other spice to your taste.
Add a bit of water if the consistency is too thick.
Arrange on a flat plate (see the picture, above).
Sprinkle a bit of sweet paprika powder on top and drizzle generously amount of olive oil.
Decorate with chopped parsley.
Hummus is served cold.
Optional to add to center of the plate:
Whole chickpeas, heated
Foul (fava beans) heated
Pine nuts