29. May 2014

Delicious Hummus

Hummus_8I’ve been sitting in front of a blank page for too long now – but I just can’t find appropriate words to describe my love for hummus without sounding too cheesy. I discovered hummus way too late in my life (as with so many other delicious things) and it seems like I now have to make up for 20 lost years. I eat it with my salads, cooked quinoa or other whole grains or as a dip for vegetable sticks. When you discover me creeping to my fridge at night, you will most likely find me dipping a carrot in some hummus (– this or having a chocolate truffle).

Hummus comes from the Middle East and is made from chickpeas and tahini. Tahini is a sesame mash, comes in white and black and is probably best knows for its strong, bitter taste. It’ll just blend in with the taste of chickpeas, though I do love to eat it raw on dates or as a dressing over salads.

This recipe has also a great money saving option: buying chickpeas dried and in bulk will be a lot cheaper than getting canned and precooked chickpeas. It takes a bit longer to work with dried ones, as you have to soak them for at least 10 hours. They will be easier to digest for your body. Some even soak the chickpeas for two days until they begin to sprout.

The first time I tried to cook chickpeas, it didn’t go so well. I didn’t know about soaking and the long cooking time. Being in a rush to go to work, I took them off the stove after about 20 minutes in. Gosh, the stomach ache…

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Delicious Hummus Recipe

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Servings: makes about 500g

Ingredients

  • 250g chickpeas (canned or dried)
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 70ml olive oil
  • 2-3 tbsp tahini
  • 50ml water
  • salt & pepper
  • ½ tsp Ras El Hanout or cumin

Instructions

  1. For dried chickpeas: soak the chickpeas in double the water over night or at least 9 hours, then cook them on medium heat for about an hour.
  2. Add your cooked chickpeas or canned chickpeas in a bowl, add all other ingredients and blend it. I like to use my immersion blender, as I can more easily control the mixing.
  3. When it comes to the spicing: I really like this Moroccan spice mix called "Rad El Hanout", which is among others made of nutmegs, anise, cinnamon, turmeric, chili, ginger, and and and.. It's quite delicious. For a classic hummus you can just as well use 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, though!

Welcome to my kitchen, my colourful world of nourishing foods. Here I choose to live healthy, eating whole, plant-based foods; a happy mix of vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

I am Pauline, a food lover and photographer from Berlin.

My recipes are simple, vegetarian dishes with plant-based and natural ingredients only. Perfect for everyday life. You do not have to be a skilled cook to have a balanced and healthy diet – I am not! An open mind and willingness to try out something new everyday shall be enough. It’s an infinite journey, and I am happy about everyone who decides to come along.

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