Made with chickpeas, tahini, lemon, olive oil and garlic, it’s a great standby pantry dip for unexpected guests or midnight munchies! Creamy and smooth, it’s completely incomparable to the thick, sour store bought hummus.
Hummus recipe
Whenever I’m planning gatherings, I like to keep the stress levels down by using a combination of some store bought things and some homemade things for pre dinner nibble platters. I buy cured meats, olives and crackers (though these homemade gourmet crackers are in high demand in my circles). But I always put hummus on the “make” side of the list. Though there really are some great dips at supermarkets nowadays, hummus is not and never will be one of them. It’s too sour, it’s too thick, it lacks the signature creaminess of real hummus. The first time you try homemade hummus will be a game changer. I absolutely swear to you. And it’s so darn EASY.
I want to tell you that I always make hummus with dried chickpeas that I’ve soaked overnight and cooked until tender but that would be bollocks. The truth is, hummus is the sort of thing I want to make right now and that means grabbing a can of chickpeas. At best, I’ll pressure cook the chickpeas – which means waiting one whole hour. But it’s better than waiting until tomorrow. 😉 There’s only one thing that you may not have in your pantry right now but it’s available at all major supermarkets nowadays here in Australia – tahini. Tahini is just sesame paste, and if you don’t use it, then it’s not hummus. I’m not saying it won’t be tasty, but it just won’t be hummus. 🙂 It lasts for ages in the pantry, and it’s a great standby for all those Friday evenings when the clock ticks over to 5 pm (4 pm?) and you’re ready to put your feet up with some nibbles and a glass of wine…. (I literally just described what I’ll be doing in 2 hours). Be sure to use HULLED tahini, not unhulled. Unhulled tahini is made using sesame seeds, hull and all, which makes the sauce richer but more bitter.
How to serve Hummus
As for how and what to serve with hummus? Well, how about like THIS…. I mean, truly. If there was ever a way to get excited about eating loads and loads of veggies, this would be it!!! Thank you Bon Appetit, for the beautiful inspiration. 🙂
But of course, there’s always the option to stick with the classic – serving with flatbreads, or crispy baked store bought pita bread. I like to cut them up, spray with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake until crispy. If you want to get a bit fancy, try sprinkling with a bit of dukkah too (it’s a spice mix with seeds that’s sold at supermarkets nowadays).
Using hummus in dishes
Hummus is also a popular sauce options for Middle Eastern wraps such as Shawarma and Doner Kebab. Smear flatbreads with a generous dollop of hummus before piling on the marinated meats and fresh salads! I make the consistency of my hummus the way it is served in the Middle East which is much looser than the dip you buy in stores. The consistency is more like a very thick ketchup. But it is much thinner than the store bought version. In the Middle East, it is served spread out on a plate, then you use the back of a spoon to make swirls in it, drizzle over olive oil (which pools in the swirls). Then sprinkle over some reserved chickpeas and a pinch of paprika. One day, try this traditional Hummus with Spiced Lamb – it’s incredible! My biggest tip is to serve it at room temperature! It makes such a difference, the flavour is better and it’s creamier. We made it to the end of the week. It’s Friday. Go on. You deserve some end-of-week nibbles and wine!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
More dip recipes
Guacamole (done right!) or Avocado Hummus Dip French Onion Dip (from scratch) OR Retro Soup Mix 2 Minute French Onion Dip Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip Hot Corn Dip – you’ll love the flavour in this creamy, bubbly dip! Cheese and Bacon Dip Spinach Artichoke Dip Mexican Queso Dip Smoked Salmon Dip (flavour you can’t buy in tubs!) See all Dip Recipes
Life of Dozer
He came to the hairdresser with me the other day when I went to get my usual upkeep done (I live in a very dog friendly neighbourhood!). And he somehow managed to get a splotch of my black hair dye on his face. That’s PERMANENT hair colouring….
