A great snack or condiment, based on restaurant-style hummus.
Ingredients
- ~400 g tin chickpeas, drained
- 6–8 cloves garlic, peeled
- 100 ml tahini (1–2 big spoons)
- 90 ml lemon juice (2–3 lemons, or from a bottle)
- 2–4 tsp kosher salt, to taste
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Seasoning
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp granulated garlic, for more garlic punch
- ⅓ tsp black pepper (optional)
Method
Simmer the chickpeas and whole garlic cloves in water until soft. Drain, saving the cooking liquid.
Put the tahini, lemon juice, salt, and seasoning in a powerful blender. Add the chickpeas and garlic once they’ve cooled enough not to burn you if they splash.
Blend until smooth, 1–2 minutes in a Vitamix, possibly longer in other blenders. Taste and add salt and lemon juice until it tastes like hummus, then blend again.
Blend in the olive oil last. The heat and friction of a long blend can turn olive oil bitter.
Taste one last time. It should be balanced between creamy, nutty, and lemony, with a moderate garlic punch.
Notes
- Flat taste: check for salt, then acid, adding more in small amounts.
- Too thick: blend in a little of the reserved cooking liquid, or more olive oil if the lemon balance is already good.