Hummus
One 15.5 oz. can chickpeas - drained and rinsed
1-2 small garlic cloves
Juice of half of a small lemon
Cumin about ½ teaspoon
Salt to taste about 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons
Tahini (pure not mixed with spices) ½ cup
Water ⅓ to ½ cup depending on your brand of tahini
Olive oil to taste about 2 - 3 tbl.
In a food processor (or blender but the blender is a bit less efficient) chop the garlic for a second, add the chickpeas and grind until they are all broken up. Add cumin, salt, lemon juice, about ⅓ cup water and the tahini. Grind for a minute or two, you should have a thick paste. Add a bit more water and keep mixing. It should get smooth, and creamy. Taste to see if you like the flavor. More Tahini will make the flavor richer and also make the mix much thicker (add if it is too runny) more water will make it thinner. More salt will bring out all the flavors - it often needs more salt. Add olive oil and keep mixing. The more you mix/grind it the better it will be. Mix/ grind at least 2-3 minutes total (usually do more like five). The olive oil will make the whole thing feel like Hummus adding a smooth creaminess to the mix. It will also deepen the flavor and make it richer.
There are many ways to serve hummus, Traditionally it is spread in a swirl on a small plate and topped with Zatar and olive oil - a bit of hot sauce may be placed in the center. It is also often topped with any one of a wide variety of toppings from cooked mushrooms to ground meat, or Tehina (mixed with spices) to cooked beans. Always with a splash of olive oil. It is served with pita or other flatbread which is used to scoop it up. In Hebrew the verb for eating Hummus is wiping hummus, referring to getting every last drop onto your piece of bread. Enjoy simple, healthy and delicious.