It is one of the most famous dishes of Middle Eastern cuisine and its origins are lost in legend. And there are several countries that claim paternity
Today, May 13, is World Hummus Day, which has become a must in vegan cuisine and beyond. Its roots are very deep: in fact, it is one of the most famous dishes of Middle Eastern cuisine and its origins are lost in legend. And there are several countries that claim paternity.
The secrets of the recipe
Hummus has a very simple preparation, based on chickpeas – mashed or crushed – and tahina, a sauce made from sesame seeds. Of course, even the simplest recipes contain some secrets. First of all, make sure you have the right chickpeas. When purchased, they should be uniform, free of stains and odorless. Larger varieties of chickpeas, such as Spanish and Mexican, are great in other dishes, but they don’t produce as creamy and smooth hummus as desired. Second, there are those who opt for citric acid, which many hummus manufacturers use instead of lemon juice. It provides consistent acidity and flavor, unlike lemon juice, which can evaporate and make the crema bitter. Finally, tahina: it is a food derived from white sesame seeds, very common in Cyprus, Greece, Turkey, North Africa and the Near East. Also called sesame butter or sesame cream. To obtain it, the sesame seeds are gently roasted to prevent them from souring.
The procedure
To make four plates of hummus (about a pound) you’ll need 1 ounce (300 grams) of cold-cooked chickpeas plus 1/2 cup (120 ml) of chickpea stock; a quarter teaspoon of citric acid; a quarter teaspoon of salt; 480 grams of tahini; one cup (240 ml) of cold water. There are several preparation stages: emulsify the chickpeas, cooking liquid, citric acid and salt in a food processor for three minutes and continue until the mixture has a smooth consistency. Then add one cup (240 grams) of tahini and half a cup (120 ml) of cold water and mix for another two minutes; add the remaining cup (240 grams) of tahini and the remaining 1/2 cup (120 ml) of water and continue for another two to three minutes. Then transfer the hummus to an airtight container and refrigerate for 6-10 hours.
Source: TG 24 Sky