Hummus

While travelling we often meet new people and get acquainted with their customs and traditions. We want to get the most of our trip and try as many things as we can, including uncommon food. The cuisine of each nation is unique, but some ingredients of such exotic dishes may occur not very appropriate for the stomachs of keen adventurers.

In Israel, for example, you have a good opportunity to taste various dishes. Of course, our restaurants offer a great amount of extra ordinary foreign dishes, but we should agree that only in the native land the native cuisine tastes the best. 

So, let’s speak a bit about hummus today. Hummus is considered to be one of the more popular Middle Eastern dips. It is served with pita bread and it serves as a great appetizer or snack. The main ingredients are chickpeas, tahini and olive oil. When you see it on a plate for the first time you see something like this:

Describing the taste of hummus is not a very right thing to do as we all know “many men, many minds”... However, remember that hummus contains chickpeas, it means you’d better eat it in tiny portions, otherwise, those who usually have stomach troubles would suffer a lot like from lactose intolerance. 

If you chose hummus and liked it in one of Israeli cafes and after that you got a wish to cook this wonderful dip yourself, here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

ü  1 can of chickpeas;

ü  1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas;

ü  3-5 tablespoons lemon juice;

ü  1 and 1/2 tablespoons tahini;

ü  1-2 heads of garlic, crushed;

ü  1/2 teaspoon salt;

ü  2 tablespoons olive oil.

Time: 10-15 minutes.

Preparation:

    Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can;

    Combine remaining ingredients in a blender;

    Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas;

    Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly smooth;

    Place in serving bowl;

    Create a shallow well in the center of the hummus;

    Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the well;

    Serve with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread;

    Enjoy your meal! :)