ON TEST - HOUMOUS

It’s been a British picnic staple for 30 years but as our tastes have changed, houmous has become more sophisticated with all sorts of flavours popping up.

In our exclusive Cash Queens dip test, we check out eight supermarket brands to find which ones will send you potty for more and which are best with the lid left on.

„ Moroccan Topped Houmous (170g), £1.29,

Co-op Topped with a decent collection of whole chick peas and chopped red pepper, the reds and russets looked like they were straight out of a Moroccan bazaar. The red pepper and paprika gave it a kick while the chickpeas added depth to the delicious dip.

Verdict: Gone in a flash. Score: 10/10

„ Lemon and Coriander Houmous (182g), £1.20, Tesco It had an underlying lemon zing without being acidic and while we couldn’t taste the coriander, we found it smooth and creamy. A pleasant, middle of the road taste, it will suit most folks.

Verdict: Surprisingly refreshing. Score: 8/10 „ Caramelised Onion Houmous (170g), 69p, Aldi An inviting shade of caramel, it was much sweeter than we expected and the onion stayed with us for a while. A bargain price and one for the sweet toothed but it didn’t suit our savoury taste buds.

Verdict: Keep the mints handy. Score: 6/10

„ Extra Special Sun Blush Red Pepper Houmous (170g), £1.75, Asda Stylishly finished with tiny red pepper drops and the light terracotta colour gave it an upmarket look. But the houmous was bland and lacked seasoning, and was only saved by the red pepper drops which gave it flavour.

Verdict: Expensive but without character. Score: 5/10 „ Chunky Layered Moroccan Style Houmous (170g), £1.60, Marks & Spencer Velvet smooth houmous topped with sweet caramelised red onion and chunky chick peas. It looked good and tasted delicious with a perfect combination of savoury and sweet, plus a hint of citrus flavours and the added texture of the topping. It made for a very filling snack.

Verdict: Yummy and disappeared very quickly. Score: 10/10

„ Meadow Fresh Caramelised Onion Houmous (170g), 69p, Lidl Slightly rough-textured dip packed with chunks of flavoursome onion which gave it a good rich and sweet bite. It tasted posher than the price tag would suggest.

Verdict: Great value for money. Score: 8/10

„ Sweet Potato & Chilli Houmous (170g), £2, Morrisons Smooth and creamy with a good hint of sweet potato but there was no chilli hit. It was OK but a bit disappointing as we were expecting a fiery kick.

Verdict: Needs a chilli injection. Score: 7/10 „ Piri Piri Houmous (200g), £1.20, Sainsbury’s Pleasant with a hint of chilli but nowhere near enough. We got bored pretty quickly as after just a few dips it seemed bland and underwhelming.

Verdict: More spice needed. Score: 6/10