Ottolenghi's Creamy dreamy hummus

Introduction

Amazing humus recipe from the master.


Creamy dreamy hummus

Recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi's Shelf Love



Ingredients


200g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in plenty of water and ¾ tsp baking soda
or
2 (425g) cans of chickpeas, drained
½ tsp baking soda (if using dried)
salt
1 pinch ground cumin
120–150g tahini
1 garlic clove, minced, or more to taste
1½ tbsp lemon juice, or more to taste

YOUR CHOICE OF TOPPINGS
olive oil
any chopped herbs
toasted nuts
rose harissa or your choice of chili paste


Directions

  1. If using dried chickpeas, drain them well after soaking, then put them into a medium saucepan, for which you have a lid, with the ½ tsp baking soda and enough water to cover by about 1½ inches/4cm. Bring to a simmer on medium-high heat, skimming the scum from the surface as needed, then turn the heat down to medium-low, cover with the lid, and simmer from anywhere between 30 and 50 minutes. This will differ greatly depending on your chickpeas, so check them at the 20-minute mark. Toward the last 15 minutes of cooking time, salt the water nicely and add the cumin. Cook the chickpeas until they are very soft.
  2. Using a slotted spoon or spider, agitate the chickpeas, giving them a gentle shake in the water, allowing the skins to be released and rise to the surface. Discard the skins (don’t worry too much if you don’t catch them all). Skip to step 5.
  3. If using canned chickpeas, spread them out between two kitchen towels and use your hands to vigorously rub the towels together for a few minutes. Don’t press down too hard on the chickpeas; you don’t want to 
  4. “crush them. Lift the top towel, to see how you’re doing—the friction should have caused the chickpea skins to be released. Discard the skins.
  5. Put the canned (and now peeled) chickpeas into a saucepan with enough water to cover, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of cumin. Simmer for 15 minutes, until soft.
  6. Drain the chickpeas over a bowl, saving the water. Put the warm chickpeas into a food processor with 7 tbsp/120g of tahini, the garlic, lemon juice, a couple of ice cubes (scant 1 oz/25g worth), 2 tablespoons of reserved chickpea water and a good pinch of salt. Blitz until smooth(ish), then check on the hummus. You might need more tahini, garlic, lemon, and salt and very likely more chickpea water. Add a bit of each as you need. Don’t be shy about adding more tahini—each brand differs and may require you to use more. Blitz the hummus until very smooth, a few minutes at least. Don’t worry about the hummus being too loose; it will thicken as it sits.
  7. When ready, spread the hummus in a shallow bowl, creating a well in the center. (If not serving right away, store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days.) Top with a generous glug of olive oil, then personalize your hummus as you wish. We sometimes add herbs, toasted nuts, or rose harissa, but these are just suggestions. Once you get the base right, hummus knows no bounds.

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