The Very Best Hummus

This recipe will provide you with the creamiest and delicious Hummus every single time. Tinned or dried & then rehydrated chickpeas can be used for this recipe. Some additional information : If you want to know how many grams of cooked chickpeas a certain weight dried chickpeas will yield (approximately), multiply the dried weight by 2.2. For example, 225g dried chickpeas x 2.2 = 495g cooked chickpeas and this is very close to the drained weight of 2 tins of chickpeas. Can sizes are fairly standard and about 400g tin yields 250g of cooked beans once drained. For each 225-250g of dried chickpeas, add 1 teaspoon (5g) of bicarb soda to the water. This acts as a softening agent any gives a super creamy hummus. Don’t be tempted to add more as it robs the chickpeas of their amazing nutritional value as well as giving a slightly soapy taste. Don’t be tempted to add salt to the cooking water as it can make the chickpeas tough.

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Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack, tapas

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 40

Soaking time: 12

Servings:

Calories: 262kcal

Author: Nellie Kerrison | Relish Mama

Cost: 8

Equipment

1 Food processor
1 Large bowl to soak the chickpeas
1 Saucepan to cook the chickpeas

Ingredients

225 g dried chickpeas soaked overnight ** (alternatively use 2 tins of drained chickpeas rinsed well & drained)
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda only if using dried chickpeas
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda additional (only if using dried chickpeas)
120 g hulled tahini good quality
1-2 lemons juiced (to taste)
1 large garlic clove crushed
2 cubes of ice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt depending on taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 to 3 tablespoons chickpea water

To serve – my favourite way to serve & decorate hummus is with some reserved whole chickpeas in the centre of the dish as well as a dash of sumac or smoked paprika. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil & fresh parsley leaves.

Instructions

Soak the dried chickpeas overnight in plenty of cold water + 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda (a minimum of 12 hours soaking time).
The following day, drain the water and place chickpeas in a large saucepan and add double the volume of water. Add the additional bicarb and bring the pot to a simmer and then cook over a medium heat for between 40 – 60 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on the chickpeas so start checking and tasting around the 30-minute mark to be safest.
Stir from time to time, particularly nearing the end of the cooking time. The chickpeas are ready when they are very soft. You obviously need to taste for this. Discard any skins that rise to the surface.
Drain the liquid but be sure to keep some, as you will need it to make the hummus.
It is best to make hummus when the chickpeas are still a little warm.
If using tinned chickpeas, drain the chickpeas and rinse well. Place the chickpeas in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil & then turn down & simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove the scum from the top, with a slotted spoon, as you go.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini and juice of 1 lemon (reserve the other lemon and add only if required after tasting your hummus). Process for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl then turn on and process for 30 seconds. This extra time helps “whip” or “cream” the tahini, making smooth and creamy hummus possible.
Add most of the warm chickpeas to the food processor (reserve approx. a tablespoons worth of the chickpeas for serving). Add the garlic, ice cubes, salt and cumin as well as 2 tablespoons of the reserved chickpea water. Process for a minute, scrape sides and bottom of bowl. Keep processing then for 5 or so minutes until smooth. You are looking for a smooth and velvety consistency.
Check your hummus - most likely it will be too thick or still have tiny bits of chickpea. To fix this, with the food processor turned on, slowly add a little more of the reserved water until the consistency is perfect.
Taste the hummus. Is it perfect or does the tahini, lemon, or salt need tweaking?
When serving, place some of the hummus into a beautiful serving dish and use a spoon to make a little well in the centre. Add the reserved whole cooked chickpeas to the centre then drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the top and sprinkle lightly with sumac or smoked paprika and fresh parsley leaves, if desired.Additional Notes:
Best served at room temperature.
Will store in the fridge for up to 5-7 days.
** You can always soak and cook more dried chickpeas than required. You can freeze cooked chickpeas and even freeze the cooking liquid, in batches. Genius move, I tell you!

Nutrition