A Hummus Recipe

I remember making hummus a few years ago for a family gathering, and the reaction was "What is that?"  To make it a little more MidWestern friendly, I told them it was a bean dip.  A few tried it, and out of those few, a few even liked it.  They thought the cumin to have a weird flavor, which once again makes me truly believe that the only spice most of us Mid Westerners use is pepper.

Something about this time of year makes me want hummus.  I guess it's because I like to eat it in wraps with lots of veggies.  Tonight I had hummus, calamata olives, Italian bread, tomatoes, and strawberries for supper. It was a nice plate and a very satisfying supper on a muggy night.

I've never tried freezing hummus, but I plan on doing this is the near future.  When I do, I'll let you know how it turns out.

Hummus


1 and 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup water from cooked chickpeas
2 or 3 garlic cloves
juice from 1 lemon
4 Tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
4 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt

1. Put chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, and tahini in a food processor.  Pulse until ground.
2. Add olive oil and pulse until smooth.  If the hummus does not look smooth and creamy add some cooking water and pulse until desired consistency is reached.  
3. Add cumin and salt to taste.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Note: this can be made in a blender if you do not have a food processor, but it won't turn out as smooth.