Hummus is one of those dishes that have become completely ubiquitous with Israel. Therefore, it made perfect sense that the third and final video for our Mega Mission video series would the making of smooth garlic hummus.
Despite its association with Israel, hummus is a dish that is entirely borrowed from other Middle Eastern neighbours: Egyptians, Jordanians, Syrians, Lebanese. In fact, there are as many regional variations as there are grains of sand in the dessert. So perhaps in that vein, we can claim ownership over some regional variations? In the great hummus debate, I fear that only time will tell who will stand victorious.
My favourite version of hummus is hummus mesabacha, the recipe for which you can find in my cookbook. But most days, when asked to feed a crowd of hummus lovers, I go for this version of smooth garlic hummus: incredibly silky, nourished with the best tahini, and interspersed with large bites of raw, pungent garlic. The overall result is unforgettable, authentic and incredibly satisfying. And now, you can impress your friends with smooth garlic hummus as well!
We shot this video for smooth garlic hummus along with two others in one long day of endless takes, background changes and cups of coffee. They were made as part of the promotional drive for Montreal’s Mega Mission, a behemoth undertaking that will see 1,000 Montrealers arrive in Israel for an unforgettable 10-day trip. I think that food is an inseparable part of Israel, and I jumped on the opportunity to highlight some of my favourite dishes.
FULL DISCLOSURE: I made the videos as part of the Montreal Mega Mission promotional drive for my employer, Federation CJA. I received no additional financial compensation, nor was I asked to post these on my blog. I am sharing my work with you because I am immensely proud of it – and you can always count on me to be straight and honest with you guys! To learn more about the Mega Mission and to see the other videos I made, of Israeli rugelach and eggplant shakshuka, check out my posts here and here.
Smooth garlic hummus
Ingredients
- 1 cup chickpeas soaked in water for 12 hours
- 1 whole onion peeled
- 1 ⁄4-1⁄2 cup good raw tahini The Dove tahini is my favourite, and I bring it with me from Israel each time I go. If shopping local, steer clear of Greek tahini; I've had good results with the Arabic tahini in a white jar with an orange lid, but I encourage you to try different ones and find your favourite
- juice of 1 lemon
- 4 garlic cloves minced finely
- salt + pepper to taste
For serving:
- fruity extra virgin olive oil to taste
- za’atar to taste
- sumac to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, combine chickpeas and onion with enough water to cover, plus an additional 2 inches. Bring to a boil, cover and cook chickpeas on low heat until they are completely soft and fall apart at the lightest touch, about 2-2.5 hours, and most of the water has evaporated. (Be patient! If your chickpeas are really slow to cook, increase heat to low-medium, but no more than that! Low and slow is the key here.)
- Once cooked, remove chickpeas from liquid using a slotted spoon, reserving about ½ cup chickpeas for later. Reserve liquid.
- In a food processor, combine chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic cloves and salt and pepper. Taste, and correct seasonings as needed. Hummus should be as smooth as possible - if consistency is too thick for you, thin out with chickpea cooking liquid.
- Serve hummus warm, drizzled with olive oil and topped with whole reserved chickpeas, za’atar and sumac. Hummus can be eaten with pita, crudites or with pieces of raw onions.
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