Hummus

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Hummus is like a blank canvas, ready to be painted with flavors, colors, and textures. It’s a reminder that the simplest of foods can be elevated to the realm of art.

Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves: 6-8 chickpea-starved humans
Taste: 5/5
Preparation: 3/5
Health: 5/5

I first discovered the intrinsic value of good hummus1 while working at Sir Hummus (now Sir Pita) in Amsterdam between 2017 and 2018. At the time I was studying for my MA (philosophy) and wanted a part-time job to supplement my living costs. It turned out to be an excellent decision as I made friends with many of my colleagues and, due to the abundant quantities of hummus I consumed, my brain was sufficiently nourished to engage in abstract philosophically reasoning.2 I often asked my managers what was their secret to making good hummus, and they always responded that there was none – you just need quality ingredients, proper equipment, and patience.

I’m very excited to share this recipe because after eight years of nomadic wandering I finally have the kitchen space and equipment to supply myself with good hummus – and especially to experiment with different recipe variations. Since embarking on this journey (which began with purchasing an 18kg pail of tahina3) hummus has become a staple food in my diet, accounting for maybe 30-40% of my daily calories. Its so ridiculously healthy and yummy and is best served fresh – ideally with warmed pita, or just a spoon. Seriously, this stuff is the real deal, go make it asap (and send me pics of your results!).

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups dried chickpeas (not canned!)
  • Water
  • ~3 tsp baking soda (divided for soaking and boiling)
  • 1 cup tahina (ideally sourced from Ethiopian sesame seeds)
  • 1½–2 lemons, juiced
  • 1½ tsp cumin
  • Salt, to taste
  • Optional: a pinch of MSG
  • Optional: 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • Chickpea cooking water (for blending)
  • Olive oil, paprika, parsley (for garnish)

Method

1. Soak the chickpeas
The night before, soak 1½ cups of dried chickpeas in plenty of water with a few teaspoons of baking soda. The chickpeas will expand overnight, so ensure there’s enough water to accommodate this.

2. Cook the chickpeas
Drain the soaking water and transfer the chickpeas to a pot. Cover them with boiling water (about 2–3 inches above the chickpeas) and add 1½ teaspoons of baking soda. Simmer until the chickpeas are falling apart, which usually takes 60–90 minutes. The water will turn orange as the chickpeas disintegrate.4

Behold, the glory of mushy chickpeas.

3. Cool and separate
Once cooked, separate the chickpeas from the cooking water. Let both cool to avoid overheating your blending equipment.

4. Make the base
In a high-powered food processor5 or blender, combine tahina, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and (optionally) MSG and garlic. Slowly add some of the cooled chickpea water. Blend until the mixture becomes smooth.

5. Add chickpeas and adjust consistency
Add the cooked chickpeas to the processor and blend until ultra-smooth. Add more chickpea water as needed to achieve a consistency similar to thick mayonnaise. Be cautious not to add too much liquid – it’s easier to thin the hummus than to thicken it.

6. Serve and garnish (optional)
Transfer the hummus to a bowl, molding its shape to crest the rim with the back of a large cooking spoon. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika and chopped parsley if desired.

Its fun to make hummus look pretty, but it all ends up in the same place :p
  1. ‘Good hummus’ to be distinguished from the oily grainy paste called ‘hummus’ which you can find in most supermarkets ↩︎
  2. I would estimate that my weekly consumption of hummus while writing my MA thesis was 3-4kg. ↩︎
  3. Because of its high tahina content, this hummus recipe could be considered Israeli-style (differing from Greek or Arab variants). ↩︎
  4. If cooking large batches of chickpeas the shells might float to the top of the pot – if so then scoop them out to dispose of (they add little nutritional value and negatively affect the hummus texture). Some people remove the shells manually, but I don’t think its worth the bother. ↩︎
  5. I use a Magimix 5200XL (they invented the food processor in 1963) due to its large volume and efficient motor, but would also consider using a vitamix. ↩︎
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