Hummus Chickpea Spread Recipe
Chickpeas are a popular food that is known by a variety names including garbanzo beans, bengal grama and chana, but no matter how you refer to them, chickpeas are a healthy food. They're a legume that is high in protein, iron and fiber, and they also have a high percentage of maganese and folate. Chickpeas are used in a variety of dishes, and if you are looking for an easy way to prepare it, hummus is one of the most popular ways to make it! It’s a very quick dish that only takes about 5 minutes.
Hummus is the name of a dish made from chickpeas that is most often used as a dip or spread. Historically, hummus originated in the middle East, but today people all over the world enjoy hummus. It’s a healthy snack with lots of protein, and it’s suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.
Cook Time
How to Cook Dried Chickpeas
It’s very easy to use a can of chickpeas, but buying dried chickpeas and cooking them yourself can save you money. It’s also a lot healthier: did you know that canned foods generally have high amounts of sodium? Not only that, but in many cases the lining in canned foods contain harmful chemicals such as Bisphenol-A. Bisphenol-A leaches into the food and is linked to cancer. Although it’s convenient to eat canned foods, for health reasons try to avoid them whenever possible. In the case of legumes, this might mean you need to prepare your beans hours or even a day in advance. It might take longer to make, but it's a healthier choice.
How to Prepare Dried Chickpeas: Place your chickpeas in a bowl. Make sure you leave enough space in the bowl for some salted water. There must be enough water in the bowl for 3 times the amount of chickpeas. I always use filtered water to soak my chickpeas, and I have heard that if you use hard water (tap water) it can make the chickpeas harden and they won’t taste as good. The chickpeas must soak for approximately 12 hours. A good trick to soaking chickpeas is to simply soak them overnight. After they have been soaked, drain the chickpeas and if there is any remaining water, dump it out and do not use it again.
Fill a pan with water and add the chickpeas. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the temperature, cover the pan and allow the chickpeas to simmer. Simmer them for about an hour, or until they have softened.
Hummus Ingredients
- 2 cups Chickpeas
- 2 tablespoons Tahini
- 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 clove Garlic
- 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 4 tablespoons Water
Instructions
- In a food processor, add all the ingredients: the chickpeas, tahini, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, paprika and water. Blend the ingredients until it creates a paste. If you feel that the texture is too thick, you can add more water or olive oil to your hummus until you get the desired consistency. Once it’s blended, serve it in a bowl and if you want, drizzle some olive oil on top and sprinkle some paprika for extra flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Hummus is often served as a dip for vegetables and chips. It’s also really great as a sauce for sandwiches, wraps and burgers, or you can use it as a spread for toast or crackers. One of my favorite ways to eat hummus is by making a pita sandwich with falafel and spreading hummus on top. The great thing about hummus is that it’s versatile and goes well served with a variety of foods.
