There are reasons I like hummus so much and have done for years before it became the hipster fad found in a zillion permutations at the ready-made counters of Whole Foods. First, it’s beans and you know my obsession there. Second, beyond infinitely pleasurable dipping, It can add a layer of protein and base flavour to nearly anything I wrap in a pita. Finally and perhaps most importantly, I don’t buy it pre-packaged. I make my own fresh which is a genuinely different beast compared to the factory-made fare. Texture and flavour (experimental or otherwise) can all be greatly improved at home. Just like the pitas you’re going to make to match, right?
Do I really need to harp on about cooking beans from dry again? Forget about tins or even ‘gourmet’ beans packed in a glass. One fifth (or less) the price, takes no skill, and only have to think to fill a bowl with water the night before. Soak overnight, rinse, salt, cook until tender, done. Those freshly cooked beans along with some of their cooking water are key to getting a texture in your hummus that far outshines the dense stodge you get in tubs at the Megamart. I’ve noticed even they might realize their products are getting boring because the latest craze is to ‘hummus-ify’ any ingredient of which they’ve got a surplus. Sweet potato, beet, carrot… you name it, they’ve blended it and labelled it hummus. While I appreciate the ingenuity and some of them might very well be tasty, if it’s not made from beans, don’t call it hummus in my house. Those pretenders are called ‘dips’ in my mind however I will concede that in addition to the nearly unassailable classic made with garbanzos (chick peas), other legumes like broad beans can be used with great success – curiously true when making falafel as well. Even day-glow green fresh sweet peas can make something interesting but you’re really pushing my hummus envelope with that sort of dip witchcraft.
Tahini is lovely stuff. Pure ground sesame seeds. How can you go wrong? Like all seeds, sesame has oil and therein lies the potential problem. Once ground a clock starts and unless you’ve got a very freshly opened jar that was vacuum sealed up to that point, there’s a high likelihood of spoilage. When I do buy a jar I look for those seals and keep it in the fridge for less than a month. Because of low turnover and availability locally, I more frequently grind my own sesame seeds in the super blender using just a few spoonfuls of water to get the process started. Whole seeds are cheaper and more easily found in my markets and while still susceptible to spoilage, they are much less so compared to tahini already in paste form. When shopping there are sometimes permutations in the offerings between untoasted, toasted, hulled, or unhulled seeds. I’ve actually used them all in a pinch but the hulled, untoasted sorts will give you the cleanest flavour most like premade tahini.
The next best choice, perhaps equally as delicious in a slightly different vein, is to use 100% peanut butter. No added sugar or other factory tinkering allowed. In that case I use half the measure because it’s stronger in flavour than sesame but when set side by side the results are hard to differentiate.
For bean chemistry, I add baking soda to the soaking water and cooking pot here. Something I rarely if ever do with beans for other uses. The alkaline water helps soften the beans further which will, after all, be blended smooth as silk with any luck. Just don’t go nuts on the measure because even if you’re draining it off soon enough, it can add a strange off flavour to the finished beans. Speaking of soft choices, some profess that chick peas should have their hulls removed after soaking. I don’t think it makes that much difference and who has the time? Don’t bother unless you can catch a few already floating to the top of the soaking bowl.
Fresh lemons and zest are nearly mandatory for the best flavour but in the dead of winter when lemons cost $2 each I’ve broken down and used bottled juice boosted with the tiniest measure of my secret tart ingredient, citric acid. Really aim for fresh here since it’s so integral to the finish but don’t go without hummus in the middle of January if it comes down to substituting or nothing at all.
After you realize the difference fresh beans make to the texture in a ‘plain’ batch, the sky’s the limit for additions to make it your own and mix up the menu. I’ve used everything from mint to sweet roasted garlic. If you’re really desperate for variety, I suppose you can start to blend beets and celeriac like the marketing department tries to push on the hipsters.
Hummus from Scratch
300 g chick peas, dry
1 + 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
fine sea salt (adjusted to taste)
100 g sesame seeds (or substitute very fresh tahini or 40 g pure peanut butter with no added sugar or salt)
Juice of one large lemon (adjusted to taste, zest optional)*
2 – 4 cloves fresh garlic
1 teaspoon freshly toasted & ground cumin seed
50 – 100 ml cold pressed olive oil (the good stuff)
* If you find your lemons lacking enough tart, you can supplement with citric acid or vinegar in tiny amounts.
Optionally, all to taste, either mixed in or used on top:
Dry red chile flakes
Fresh herbs, e.g. parsley, basil, mint
Roast red peppers
Roasted (until sweet) garlic
Sumac
Sweet or smoked paprika
Freshly ground black peppercorn
+ Homemade pitas for serving
Yield: Roughly 900g or about four cups – which sounds like a lot but it won’t go to waste and keeps up to two weeks under refrigeration. When taking the trouble from scratch, trust me you’ll want a big batch.
Begin the night before by soaking the beans in three times their volume of cold water with 1 teaspoon baking soda added.
When fully soaked (10+ hours)* drain completely and bring to a boil in double their volume of moderately-salted fresh water with the remaining baking soda. Skim off any foam that accumulates as desired but rumours of foamy bitterness are exaggerated so don’t sweat the details. Reduce to simmer and cook until the beans are very tender, about an hour. Drain completely reserving a few cups of the cooking water to adjust texture of the hummus later.
* Some few report needing longer soaking times, up to two days. I’ve never once had this problem but perhaps it varies with regional supply and bean freshness. Adjust as necessary but know that there’s no harm in ‘over-soaking’ beans up to several days so long as you change the water (plus baking soda) if you see any bubbles accumulating on the water surface. I sometimes do this in the fridge when I don’t know my intended bean schedule particularly well. You can also park ‘fully soaked but not yet cooked’ beans if you drain them and store in an open non-plastic container in the fridge. This buys you plenty of dry bean schedule flexibility.
If you have a high-power blender (may require processing in batches depending on blender size):
Add the sesame seeds plus two tablespoons water and blend until smooth. Finish the recipe by adding the lemon, garlic, salt, and any optional additions blending until smooth. Thin with reserved cooking water as necessary to achieve good blending action then add the beans and continue to blend and adjust with cooking water until the desired end consistency is reached. Either drizzle in the oil at the finish to avoid mechanical sheer which can cause bitterness or simply top with oil when serving and stir in by hand (or pita).
If your equipment can’t grind sesame seeds successfully:
Use the tahini or peanut butter substitutes and move instead to a food processor fitted with the standard cutting blade. Add the tahini or peanut butter, lemon, garlic, cumin, oil, and any optional additions to the beans blending until smooth with reserved cooking water as necessary to make a loose mix. Taste and adjust the final salt, oil, and lemon in small increments blending after each addition.
Learn to make your own pitas over charcoal next. It’s a game changer for hummus enlightenment. Enjoy!
