Heavenly Homemade Hummus (inspired by Big Girls Small Kitchen)
1 cup dried chickpeas (aka, garbanzo beans)
To Cook:
2 cloves peeled garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
For Hummus:
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
juice of 2 lemons
cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup tahini (a sesame seed paste)
2 ice cubes
1/4 teaspoon cumin
a pinch of cayenne (optional)
olive oil
First, place your dried chickpeas in a medium bowl. Cover with water, at least an inch above the chickpeas. Let them sit overnight to soak, up to 24 hours. (You can use canned chickpeas, and skip the soaking, but every recipe I looked at agreed that dried made tastier, creamier hummus)
The next day, drain your chickpeas. Place soaked chickpeas, garlic, olive oil, and 1/2 tsp salt in a medium pot. Add enough water to cover the chickpeas by a few inches, and bring to a boil. Then lower to a simmer, and cook for 1-2 hours. (I let mine soak nearly 24 hours, so 1 hour of cooking was plenty). Test by taking one out (let it cool!) and squishing it between your fingers. You want them soft, but not falling apart. When they're soft, drain them and save the water and the garlic!!
Place chickpeas, cooked garlic, and 1 1/2 tsp salt in your food processor. (You can also use a blender.) Add the lemon juice and tahini, and pulse till the mixture is smooth. Add 1 ice cube and 1-2 Tb of the chickpea water. Pulse until smooth again. Repeat with another ice cube and 1-2 Tb of chickpea water. Add cumin, cayenne (if using) and drizzle olive oil in, while processing, until hummus is as thick/thin as YOU like it. Taste, and adjust any seasonings as you like.
Serve drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with cumin or paprika, warm or cold, with pita bread, naan, crackers, even veggies! This makes a little less than 2 cups of hummus.