Hummus? Homemade vs Deli made - BIG difference
You no longer have to eat paste!!
I’m not one to turn my nose up at most foods; I do enjoy trying different foods now and then. Of course old stand-by’s can be used in a pinch and are ones I rely on most often. There was one food that was eluding me consistently – Hummus. I’d heard about it from several people and certainly did want to try it.
It didn’t look too appealing in the deli section of the grocery stores that I visited; in fact it sort of looked like baby food with something dropped in the center. There were several different kinds of Hummus to choose from each one looking pretty much the same with something different stuck in the middle all squashed looking.
Each time I’d pass by just knowing that this would be the day I picked a container for myself and each time I’d pass on it, just because “What if it tastes icky?” Finally my daughter could take my hesitation no longer and bought some for me along with the recommended pita chips. I brought it home and looked at it once or twice before finally cracking the seal on it. With anticipation I opened my pita chips and dug in. I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t what I got that is for sure.
It first was flavorless, then rather dry and sticky. I thought ok, maybe another taste. So I dug in again, just waiting for something to ‘burst’ in my mouth that resembled some sort of flavor. It wasn’t really nasty; it was kind of like eating paste. I just wasn’t into eating paste these days I guess. I think the last time I tried that was in the second grade.
Try - try again!!
Still I didn’t want to give up on my quest for Hummus! Knowing the main ingredient for Hummus, I bought some canned chick peas (some folks like to call them garbanzo beans). I’ve had them for years and knew they were tasty in soups and salads. I was going to make my own Hummus!!
So for several months those chick peas sat on my pantry shelf just waiting for the day that I was going to crack them open in bravery and make some Hummus. Apparently all the moons were aligned in proper order because today was the day!! I was stocked up on all sorts of goodies to go into my Hummus no matter what I needed I was sure to have it.
I clicked on my trusty Google symbol, typed in Hummus recipes and hit the first thing that popped up, I was on a roll! As every good cook knows one first must read the recipe to check for ingredients.
What the heck is Tahini? I knew without a doubt I did not have that, but maybe I could make it? I looked it up ‘Sunflower seeds and olive oil’ – “it’s an acquired taste” the recipe says. Well, I didn’t have sunflower seeds and I wasn’t looking to acquire yet another taste, I just wanted some Hummus. So I decided to leave it out.
I had most of the rest of the ingredients that the recipe called for I just didn’t quite like the way they were put together. So in my normal fashion, I changed the recipe. Here is what I came up with.
Cook Time
This is what you will need to make your very own Hummus – Blender or food processor, frying pan, rubber spatula, strainer, measuring utensils, knife, wooden spoon.
Ingredients
- 1 - 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, (drained but reserve liquid)
- 1 lime juiced, (to make it easier I roll it, cut in in half and stick a fork in it while turning)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 TBSP Butter
- Olive oil, Several TBSP
- 1/2 tsp Basil and Garlic mix, (McCormick ‘Perfect Pinch’)
- Salt to taste (½ tsp.)
- ½ tomato - chopped
- Drain garbanzo beans, chop garlic.
- Melt butter in frying pan add garlic and Garbanzo beans, toss (using wooden spoon) until lightly browned (take care not to burn garlic!!) this will only take about 5 – 8 minutes.
- Squeeze lime into blender, add Garbanzo beans and garlic. Start up the blender (pulse works fine) add ¼ cup to start of reserved liquid, add a TBSP or 2 of olive oil, salt and ‘Perfect Pinch’. Keep blending until smooth (you may have to stop from time to time to scrap down the sides with rubber spatula and adding a little more liquid and olive oil until very smooth and creamy (not too much you don’t want a liquid!!). It should be a thick consistency that will hold up nicely on your chip of choice.
- Put some on a small plate top with a few chopped tomatoes and using your pita chips or in my case, tortilla chips - enjoy!!
Yeah - It was that good!
I would have a picture of this delicious concoction except… well, I ate it before deciding to write about it. Maybe next time? Yeah, it was that good.
Just kidding!! I managed to save a little bit for the picture!!
I'm on my way to making different flavors!
I’m not certain what made the difference, maybe browning the Garbanzo beans? It did make it a very lovely color and with that hint of green specs (from the basil) it was much prettier to look at than what the stores offered. All I know is that now I have tried Hummus, I will be making it again and again for my family get-togethers.
I’m thinking that next time I may try adding some chives to my Hummus as well!!
Now that I have given Hummus a second try I think that the possiblilites are almost endless!!
