Hummus is a creamy Levantine dip made by blending chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. With roots spanning centuries, hummus is a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine, shared across Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon and beyond. Often served as part of a mezze spread, it symbolises communal dining and hospitality. Each region has its own twist – extra garlic, more lemon or added toppings – yet the essence remains a symbol of heritage and togetherness.
Makes approx. 500g (1lb 2oz)
360g (1½ cups) dried chickpeas or 2 x 400g (14oz) tins of chickpeas
½–2 tsp baking soda
2 garlic cloves, peeled (optional)
60ml (¼ cup) freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
3 tbsp tahini
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to garnish
1 tsp salt
a few ice cubes
To garnish:
a pinch of paprika
a pinch of sumac
chopped fresh parsley
reserved whole cooked chickpeas
To serve:
warm pitta
fresh vegetables
pickles
If you’re using dried chickpeas, soak them overnight in plenty of cold water with 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
The next day, drain and rinse the chickpeas. Put them in a large saucepan and cover with cold water, then add another teaspoon of baking soda. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1–1½ hours, until very tender, but reserve a few whole chickpeas for garnish before they become too soft. We cook the chickpeas so long that they completely break down. We also don’t bother to skim off the froth that rises to the top of the pan, but you can if you like. Drain and allow to cool.
If using tinned chickpeas, drain and rinse thoroughly. Put them in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and add ½ teaspoon baking soda to soften them further. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.
Put the cooled chickpeas in a food processor with the garlic (if using), lemon juice, tahini, oil, salt and a few ice cubes. Traditionally, garlic is essential in hummus, but we stopped adding it to our hummus in the café because our customers found it to be too strong. The ice gives the hummus a paler colour and also makes it softer and smoother. Blend until smooth and creamy, but you’ll never get it perfectly smooth when you make it at home because domestic blenders aren’t as powerful as the industrial one we have in the café.
Taste and adjust with more salt or lemon juice if needed. Add a little water for a thinner consistency.
Spread the hummus onto a serving plate or in a bowl, creating swirls with the back of a spoon. Drizzle generously with olive oil and garnish with paprika, sumac, chopped fresh parsley and the reserved whole chickpeas. Serve with warm pitta, fresh vegetables and pickles.
TRY THIS
We serve three types of hummus in the café: plain, beetroot and avocado.
- To make beetroot hummus, just add an almost equal weight of roasted beetroot to the chickpeas.
- To make avocado hummus, add an equal weight of peeled, stoned avocados to the chickpeas.
From Blasta Books #15: Jibrin by Izz Alkarajeh and Eman Aburabi
