HUMMUS, YUMMUS!
It’s so much better if you make your own — and it’s easy, too
Chickpeas are in my hair, lemon rinds are on the floor, and tahini paste is flung on the ceiling.
“Look! Hummus!” I say to my roommates as I pass tortilla chips. OK, so the hummus is a little lumpy. I’m still beaming with pride. My new-found ability to turn canned chickpeas into my favourite food will serve me well for years to come, cutting my grocery bills in half.
It’s dramatically cheaper to make your own, and the result is so much tastier. I still advise the food processor-less among us to smash the chickpeas to a paste inside a plastic bag, then squeeze it into a bowl and stir in the other ingredients. (Just make sure that bag is really sealed.)
A quart of hummus sounds like a lot, but when you make it yourself, you eat more because it tastes better than store-bought. A lack of preservatives is one reason fromscratch hummus is so different. Typical ingredients in the packaged stuff, such as citric acid and potassium sorbate, give hummus a long storage life but contribute artificial sour notes that don’t even suggest fresh lemon.
Here are my guidelines for making the best hummus:
Not all canned chickpeas are equal. For perfectly seasoned and tender chickpeas that make the best hummus, go with Goya-brand. They’re cheap and ubiquitous, and they really do taste the best. Whatever brand you buy, skip the salt-free versions. They will yield a bland hummus.
Choose good tahini. It can range from delicious to wholly unpalatable. Any tahini that smells fresh and tastes rich and clean with just the slightest edge of pleasant bitterness will do the trick. Don’t put tahini you wouldn’t enjoy spooning directly into your mouth into your hummus.
Think about toppings. Try topping your hummus with whole canned chickpeas, a swirl of olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika or za’atar. A simple chopped salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion and parsley is another appealing option, especially in summer. Leftover smoked or braised meats work well, too.
In the absence of hummusfriendly leftovers, it’s worth the time to spend a few minutes cooking up a topping. I like to combine something cooked, dense and earthy, such as meat or mushrooms, with something lighter, maybe a juicy vegetable such as tomatoes or cucumbers. And, of course, spices, herbs and a bright pop of acidity from pickles, hot sauce or vinegar. A final flourish that adds crunch — nuts, seeds or a raw veggie such as radish — can take it over the top.
Don’t be afraid to break the mould. Vibrant pink beet hummus is a scene-stealer at a party As summer moves into fall, I like to sub roasted sweet potatoes, squash or pumpkin for the beets.
Consider the dippers. Ask yourself: What will you eat it with? A well-topped hummus is a dish I sometimes eat with a spoon, but usually I’m scooping it up with wedges of whole-wheat pita or other flatbread. Spreading it thick, with or without toppings, on a toasted or grilled slice of bread makes for a filling open-face sandwich. In my most health-conscious moments, I use sturdy triangles of green or purple cabbage as dippers. I can only say that this tastes a lot better than it sounds. Give it a try.
Use every bit. When you have just a few spoonfuls of hummus left, I encourage you to whisk the remnants into a homemade or bottled vinaigrette to toss with salad. Just a little hummus thickens the dressing, making it lush without dairy, and proves that a big batch of homemade hummus is good to the last drop.