Homemade Lebanese Hummus

I finally got around to organizing my kitchen cabinets so as to make more room for my food processor. It was previously in it's box in the closet, up high on a shelf I could barely reach and I got really tired of having to take it down and out of the box every time I wanted to use it. With my food processor in easy reach now, I got the urge to make a lot of things, one being homemade hummus, and by homemade, I mean everything from scratch (not the cheat way using canned garbanzo beans).

I had a recipe in mind and made a few changes to my liking and it came out fabulous. I took some home to my parents house and it was all gone within a day, so that's saying something :D 

Note: this recipe is very easy, but just takes a day in advance to prepare.

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans)
• 4-5 large garlic cloves, crushed (see below for how to crush garlic)
• 1/2 cup tahini paste (pureed sesame)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil (or more to taste)
• 1/3-2/3 cup of fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon Paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda

Directions:

• Clean the chickpeas to remove any small stones.
• Rinse the dry chickpeas to get rid of any debris and then allow them to soak overnight (12-24 hours) with 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.  Fill the bowl to completely cover the chickpeas. They will expand in size, so make sure to keep enough water to cover them. The baking soda also helps soften the beans quicker.

• Next day, empty the soaked chickpeas in a colander to get rid of the water and then rinse the beans with fresh cold water.
• Add the chickpeas to a cooking pot with 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and then add enough water to cover the chickpeas (about 6-7 cups).
• Bring it to a boil on high heat, then let it simmer on low heat for about 1 hour with the pot covered.
• Check up on the chickpeas after 45 minutes. To tell if the beans are done: try to crush a chickpea with your fingers, if it crushes easily and feels smooth then it’s done.

• Once the chickpeas are cooked, and while still hot, add them immediately to a food processor with 1/2 to 1 cup of warm water and grind for 3-5 minutes at low speed.
• With the food processor still going, add the salt and garlic.
• Slowly add in the Tahini paste.
• Next, add the lemon juice and let the food processor run for a couple more minutes. 
• Add the paprika and olive oil and continue to allow the food processor to run.
• Taste the puree to see if it needs an adjustment of salt or olive oil. 

FYI: To crush garlic, here is a neat trick I learned:

 Mince the garlic into tiny, itty bitty small pieces and add a pinch of salt.

Then, using the edge of the blade of a knife, with firm pressure on the blade, drag the knife across the garlic back and forth, crushing the garlic so it's smooth like a paste.

 And voila, you have crushed garlic.

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RECIPE:

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans)
• 4-5 large garlic cloves, crushed (see below for how to crush garlic)
• 1/2 cup tahini paste (pureed sesame)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (or more to taste)
• 1/3-2/3 cup of fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon Paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda

Directions:

1. Clean the chickpeas to remove any small stones.
2. Rinse the dry chickpeas to get rid of any debris and then allow them to soak overnight (12-24 hours) with 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.  Fill the bowl to completely cover the chickpeas. They will expand in size, so make sure to keep enough water to cover them. The baking soda also helps soften the beans quicker.
3. Next day, empty the soaked chickpeas in a colander to get rid of the water and then rinse the beans with fresh cold water.
4. Add the chickpeas to a cooking pot with 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and then add enough water to cover the chickpeas (about 6-7 cups).
5. Bring it to a boil on high heat, then let it simmer on low heat for about 1 hour with the pot covered.
6. Check up on the chickpeas after 45 minutes. To tell if the beans are done: try to crush a chickpea with your fingers, if it crushes easily and feels smooth then it’s done.
7. Once the chickpeas are cooked, and while still hot, add them immediately to a food processor with 1/2 to 1 cup of warm water and grind for 3-5 minutes at low speed.
8. With the food processor still going, add the salt and garlic.
9. Slowly add in the Tahini paste.
10. Next, add the lemon juice and let the food processor run for a couple more minutes. 
11. Add the paprika and olive oil and continue to allow the food processor to run.
12. Taste the puree to see if it needs an adjustment of salt or olive oil. 
13. Serve with more paprika or olive oil. 

Bon Appetite :)