My Mum’s Home-Made Hummus

Preparation time: 30 minutes | Serves: 4-6 people

While hummus is probably one of the most popular dips that you can buy, once you find out how easy it is to whip it up at home, you’ll be transformed.

Why my Mum’s hummus recipe is the best -
My mum has a deep love for anything made with chickpeas, so homemade hummus with warm pita bread was a regular occurrence in my childhood repertoire of snacks (as you can imagine, my palate was quite refined). Mum actually made her tahini paste at home, and that combined with the freshly boiled chickpeas, lots of garlic and olive oil made her recipe the best. Anyone who came over always asked for her secret recipe, but she holds this one close (so don’t tell her I’m sharing it with you).

While mum used dried chickpeas, my shortcut, quick hummus recipe uses canned chickpeas which speeds up the process significantly. I love the basic version with lots of garlic, lemon and good quality olive oil, but I’ve included suggestions for alternate versions in the recipe notes below.

Ingredients

• 1 can of chickpeas (preferably organic - remember you are eating them raw)
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 2 heaped tbsps. tahini
• 4 tbsp. Pukara Estate (or any other good quality) extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of half a lemon (or more, according to taste)
• 1 tsp. honey/ maple syrup
• 1-2 tsps. chilli flakes
• 5-6 cubes of ice
• Salt, according to taste
• Sumac, aleppo pepper and olive oil to garnish

Method

1. Drain the chickpeas, save 1/2 cup of the chickpea liquid and set aside.

2. Blend the chickpeas, half of the reserved liquid, ice cubes, olive oil, tahini and garlic.

3. Scrape down the blender, add lemon, honey, chilli and salt according to taste. Add more of the liquid or water to get the desired consistency.

4. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with spices. Serve with flatbread, crudités, crackers or just a spoon.

RECIPE NOTES

Swaps, Serves & Storage

1. How long can I store the hummus?
   The hummus can be stored for 3-4 days in an air-tight container in the fridge.

2. Can I use dried chickpeas?
   Dried, boiled chickpeas do make the best hummus, but it’s a time-consuming process. If you have the time, soak the chickpeas overnight and boil/ pressure cook until they’re very soft. Cool down and follow the steps above, using some of the cooking liquid to blend.

3. What other flavours can I add to my hummus?
   Hummus is such a versatile dip, so I would recommend adding roasted bell peppers, onions, pumpkin or beetroot to this recipe. You can also add fresh herbs or smoked paprika for variations in flavour.

4. Is this recipe vegan?
   Yes, this hummus recipe is vegan and gluten free! Swap out the honey for maple syrup for the vegan version.

Tips & Tricks

1. The ice cube trick - ice cubes actually stop the chickpeas from fermenting while you blend them, plus they help with the smooth creamy texture.

2. Use high quality tahini - Tahini is a Middle Eastern sesame paste which is used in several different recipes. I like using organic, hulled tahini for my hummus recipe.

3. Consider removing the chickpea skins - for an ultra smooth hummus, remove the chickpea skins. You can place the boiled chickpeas between a tea towel and rub gently to loosen the skins, then simply pick them and discard. I usually skip this step with canned chickpeas.

4. Garnish just before serving - I like bringing my hummus to room temperature, then drizzling with olive oil and the spices just before serving.