Hummus Reminiscence
Off-the-cuff recipe for today:
- 1 can garbanzo beans (a.k.a. chickpeas)
- 1/8 – 1/4 C olive oil
- 2 tsp lemon
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- garnish (chili oil, salt, ground pepper, cilantro)
Drain the liquid from the garbanzo beans into a bowl. Pour the drained beans into a blender along with all the other ingredients. Pour 1/3 of the drained liquid into the blender. Blend until relatively homogeneous. Blend in more of the drained liquid until it is the desired consistency. Warm it in a microwave or use it as is. Garnish with a small amount of chili oil, salt, and fresh-ground pepper on top (as desired). Cilantro would not be ill-spent. Serve with warm bread. Learning to make pita bread comes on the highest recommendation. When you have done so, share your learning with me.
In the UK I lived on hummus for days at a time. We had no blender, so I mashed the beans with a fork on a cutting board. It's a lot easier with a blender, and it has a better consistency. I would mix the olive oil early with garlic, bird's-eye peppers, cumin, cardamom, and sometimes basil. It works well in sandwiches or as a snack with veggies.
Josh did hummus for family dinner a couple weeks ago. He served as inspiration for my making it today.