Hummus!

The first time I've tried this Mediterranean dip was when a good friend of mine recommended a Greek mainstream resto in the Philippines a few years back.. I think it was called Cafe Mediterranean. He recommended an appetizer plate of various dips for pita bread, and that's when I had my first taste of Hummus (and the equally satisfying Tzatziki). I loved the it immediately, and once I had the handy resource of the Hong Kong Central Library, it was one of the first things I looked for in the Cookbooks section.

Generally I don't like dips; I'm the last one to reach over and have my potato chip dipped into sour cream and onion, or barbeque. I like things au naturel. Potato chips are potato chips, they're meant to be tasted first as how they are, especially chips. Of course there are exceptions, for example I absolutely love anything vinegarish, so I'm an avid fan of Lay's Salt and Vinegar. Amazing stuff by the way.

On with the dips. The thing I dont like the most about conventional dips is the thick, creamy or milky taste of a dip, particularly commercialized ones. You can actually taste the oil and fat when you put them in your mouth, and I've always had a problem with this. The thing with Hummus and Tzatziki is that it has a light quality to it. Its not heavy nor is it extremely creamy, but as a dip it is loaded with an amalgamation of different tastes. Much like Indian food, where they constantly use different spices that vary the taste of each dish.

Hummus has a smooth, blended texture very much similar to mashed potatoes, but is comparatively more grainy. The commercial ones are less grainy, but is still less smooth compared to pre-packaged ready-to-mix mashed potatoes. It has a sharp, pungent smell but tastes slightly nutty and with a dewy aftertaste. The main ingredient for Hummus is chickpeas, a part of the legume family which by itself has a very mellowly flavor, with a nice, light nutty smell similar to almonds. Since it is comprised of nuts, avid Atkins followers will likely avoid this as much as mashed potatoes, but regardless, having it will leave you feeling filled after a dollop or two.

Its been a while since I've made it myself, but feeling that particular craving last weekend, I made myself a good batch. If in any case you're interested, its relatively easy to make one, as long as you can get a hold on its ingredients:

Hummus

* 400g Chickpeas, either from the can or the dried ones. But remember that the 400g referred here is for the rehydrated version.
* Juice of 1 Lemon
* 4 Tablespoonfuls of Tahini (Mediterranean white sesame paste)
* 2 teaspoons of cumin seed, grounded if possible
* 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 3 cloves of garlic, crushed or minced
* 1/2 teaspoon of salt
* optional chilli, paprika, olives, olive marinade (from the olive can)

Add everything into the processor/blender except the chickpeas.
Blend until all ingredients are properly mixed together.
Add in the chickpeas into blender and continue to blend until smooth.
Adjust taste with salt if desired.

Put into container and be sure to add a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil to avoid the hummus from drying out.
Store in fridge.

Now isn't that easy? Enjoy, peeps. I'll be enjoying mine for the rest of the week.