Blog challenge recipe #2: hummus

No-one really knows exactly where hummus originated from but it is a staple dish in many countries in the Middle East, including Israel. So far, I have had exactly one blog visitor from Israel so this is my blog challenge recipe #2! It is a really easy recipe and didn’t take me long to make. This is my own recipe and so I have included quite a lot of garlic because I love garlicky hummus. But if you would prefer not to have garlic breath for the next 24 hours after you have eaten a serving of the following, you can cut down the amount of garlic to 3 or 4 cloves! The smoked hot paprika is optional, although it adds a wonderful smoky, spiced flavor.

Hummus recipe

Ingredients

¾ cup/170 grams chickpeas (dried weight)
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tbsp tahini
6 cloves garlic – crushed
A pinch of hot smoked paprika
Approx. 1 cup water (boiled, then cooled)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Soak the dried chickpeas overnight in cold water. The following day, drain and rinse them. Put them in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to the boil and then cook on a moderate heat for approx. 60 minutes or until they are soft.
2. When the chickpeas are cooked, drain them and rinse with cold water.
3. Mix all ingredients together and then blend until this mixture is thoroughly pureed: you don’t want lumpy, chewy hummus!
4. Sprinkle a little paprika on top and decorate with fresh herbs. Serve and enjoy!