Humus hummus hummous

[plowthor]

Dear Message Board,

I've been purchasing Sabra brand humus from the supermarket for the last year or so. I find the smooth and creamy texture of Sabra is only surpassed by its totally awesome flavor...my favorites are roasted red pepper and lusciously lemon.

I was wondering if anybody had a recipe or a method of achieving that great texture and consistency Sabra has so excellently demonstrated. Can this only be achieved by the experts themselves?

[alex8alot]

wow. I used a lot of tips from this thread and I am thrilled. I used the president's choice organic garbanzo beans, removed the skins (in front of the TV), rinsed them, added lots of water + requisite ingredients to the blender, and it is great. I added lots of chili flakes for heat. perfect. smooth.

[mlevacov]

The "secret" is something easy: PEEL THOSE DARNED CHICKPEAS, one by one (after soaking them for a few hours). Listen to some music, sit comfortably and peel each and every one. It's worth the effort and you don't need to make any special effort later to get that smoother texture.

[Val]

Yep, it's easy to do,just squeeze between thumb and forefinger, they pop right out...just takes a little time. My hummus comes out smoother without the skins.

[scubadoo97]

Val, if you have a food mill you can remove those skins in record time.

[Val]

I don't have one...and I tend to be a minimalist so I doubt I'll go out and buy one, but thank you for the tip! And you never know, someone might give me one as a gift and then I'll know exactly how to use it!

[Nichele]

I second PamelaD's approach, but with lots of olive oil. I've also used natural, unsweetened, smooth peanut butter (Marantha No-Stir is what I used last) very successfully when don't have tahini on hand. And when I didn't want to waste the harissa that I'd made in my blender, I just used it to flavor my hummus. Yum!

The thing is, I've burned up a food processor and two blenders, including what I thought was a good-quality Kitchen Aid, making hummus and pesto. Does anyone have suggestions for a really sturdy blender and/or food processor?

[willownt]

I cannot get an even remotely smooth texture without adding in liquid. I use regular old water. I saw on "Everyday Food" they called for reserving some liquid from the canned chickpeas. You just have to add something; otherwise you can process it for 5 minutes and it will only be useful as building material.

There was a caller on The Splendid Table who asked about this some time back and unfortunately the advice given by Lynn Rosetto Casper missed this. I was so sad!

[Chew on That]

I really like the lemon and roasted red pepper flavors too! You're probably going to find the best hummus in Israel since they're the real experts, but in the meantime, here's a recipe you can try:

Ingredients
2 1/2 C. canned garbanzo beans, rinsed
1 1/2 Tbs. lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 Tbs. fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a blender or food processor, blend all ingredients until mixture reaches desired consistency. For a creamier texture add 1/4 C. water. Chill and serve cold with pita or tortilla chips.

[intence]

IMO the trick is to NOT use canned Chick Peas. Start with good dried chickpeas, and soak them in water overnight with about a teaspoon of Baking Soda added to the water (mix thoroughly), the baking soda helps the Chick Peas boil to be completely soft and the skins separate and rinse out quite easily.

I usually use a cup of Chickpeas and then a teaspoon or two of baking soda in the water. I rinse it out thorough, and boil it for a long time. This seems to help in acheiving a creamier hummous.

[scubadoo97]

I just finished my second batch of hummus using dried chickpeas. I didn't use the baking soda but unlike the last time I cooked them in the pressure cooker, I cooked these for a lot longer and they were really getting soft. I again use a food mill to break them down and separate the skins. I tweaked my food mill and aligned the blades so it now really works and was a breeze to do. Then into the food processor to be blended with the other ingredients. If you are trying to achieve smooth, this is it.

[nyeguy]

use a upright blender. Pass through a chinois with a laddle. Very smooth.

[scubadoo97]

I just made the smoothest hummus I've ever made. I have been playing with my pressure cooker so I used dried beans and cooked them instead of using canned. This did not add to the smoothness but did increase the flavor since the cooking liquid is more flavorful than the liquid in the cans. I first started off with a food mill to remove the skins but my mill was not so efficient so I moved over to a ricer. This easily mashed the beans and left the skins and harder beans in the ricer. I added this chickpea paste to the food processor and continued as usual using a little of the cooking liquid to get the thickness I wanted. The texture of this hummus was silky smooth. So from this experiment I can conclude that the skins are the biggest factor in what keeps hummus from obtaining a very smooth texture.

[jsaimd]

I think I may have to try Sabra again, because I wasn't so excited about it when I did try it...it had an off flavor to me - like too much citric acid. Maybe I am getting it confused.

Anyway - from a Lebenese friend for his totally yummy version - boil the canned chickpeas because they are not soft enough. Boiling also ends up with some of the skin separating too, although I don't worry about skinning them all. Also, there is "white" tahini which is a bit different from the tahini commonly available that is super yummy available at middle eastern groceries. It is a bit milder.

I also add water to my hummus if it is needed.

[coney with everything]

I agree with you not being excited about Sabra--their product looks beautiful but is not as tasty as it looks. I believe that they use veg oil instead of olive oil.

If you ever see Garden Fresh hummus, try it--it's fantastic (and I live in the Detroit area, so we know from hummus!) Costco carries Garden Fresh salsa in some areas (also very good), but I don't think they have the hummus outside of Michigan.

[xman887]

i tried the basha brand of hummus at costco and it was ok. switched to sabra once (the kind with the pile pine nuts on top) and was blown away. my whole family loves it. i have made hummus many times and have never been able to get it as creamy & light as sabra. but i will try some of the tips in this thread.

as for garden fresh - love it! but i don't buy the big jug (jack's special mild, i think) from costco because i am a bigger fan of their chipotle and jalapeno flavors. 2 for $5 every so often at nino salvaggio's.

[DiveFan]

The texture of my homemade hummus is fine as long as I add enough lemon juice. My preference is to use tahini from *roasted* sesame seeds, otherwise the flavor is way too bland and you use too much tahini. I go light on the cumin, garlic and EVOO.
I would think that fava beans would be a good blend with chick peas as they are in many falafel recipes.

[alkapal]

You have found different types of tahini? Roasted vs. regular? What brand?

[Agent Orange]

At my local store, the only option for tahini is in a large glass jar, mayonnaise style. I rarely make hummus, so I'm wondering if I can create something similar to tahini by grinding toasted sesame seeds with some sesame oil. Anyone tried that?

[sfbecky]

That large glass jar is exactly what you want to use...it keeps forever in the fridge, although the oil might separate out a bit, like natural peanut butter. I cook my own garbonzo beans, but even I think grinding sesame seeds is too much

[lexpatti]

I must have gotten lucky, made my first hummus last week and I'm in love - can't buy it ever again. I used canned chick peas, little olive oil but more water, garlic, lemon juice, sesame tahini. A few days before I made the same recipe with edamame and loved it too, hubby liked it better then the original kind. I'm next going to do it with white kidney beans. I'm going hummus crazy. I ate hummus sandwiches all week. I used the processor once, blender once. I liked the food processor better.

[IndyGirl]

Mmm, I also love edamame hummus.

[lexpatti]

Me too, always trying to fit soy beans into my diet. I went to a party last night and made the hummus with white beans, everyone loved it - I spiced it up a bit with cumin and cayenne, parsley and then smoked peprika (sp?) on top.

We eat edamame in the pods just to snack, sitting around. Beats grabbing the chips.

[sophia519]

The seltzer idea is very interesting. An epicurious recipe recommended using butter beans or a combination of butter beans and garbanzo. I like using a can of each or 2 of one and 1 of the other. I think it tastes creamier with the butter beans and, as others have said, processing the hell out of it.This talk about hummus reminds me of my favorite appetizer: Homemade hummus spead out on a large plate with olive oil drizzled on top and some morroccan olives placed all around it with sprinkles of kosher salt anc cumin. Cumin is so good wih hummus!

[ExercisetoEat]

I make hummus based off of a recipe that calls for 1/4 cup of seltzer water. I usually adjust this depending on how much lemon juice I add, but have found that the seltzer water and tahini are key to obtaining that dense but fluffy texture. Don't ask me to explain how something can be dense and fluffy, I guess it's just the magic of hummus!

[pikawicca]

Cook your own chickpeas and skin them. Run through a food mill, or use a blender. Add tahini, lemon juice, salt, and garlic (go easy on the garlic). Thin with bean cooking liquid. Spread on a platter. Drizzle with very good EVOO.

[carln]

I found fresh green chickpeas and am wondering how long i have to cook them for and if i should change the water half way through the process. Does anyone know?

[pikawicca]

Soak the chickpeas in cold water to cover by several inches overnight. Drain and discard the soaking liquid. Put the chickpeas in a pot and cover by several inches of cold water. Bring to a boil, covered, reduce heat to a strong (but not violent) simmer with the lid slightly askew, and cook until tender, about 3 1/2-4 hours. If your chick peas are old, they'll take more time. Do NOT salt until the last half hour or so, or your beans will be tough.

[carln]

thank you so much. im really looking forward to trying this.

[piccola]

Uh, fresh chickpeas (ie, the green ones) don't need to be soaked. They're like edamame - you boil briefly and toss with salt (or whatever other seasoning you want).

[pikawicca]

You use dried chickpeas for hummous, not fresh. Dried chickpeas that have been sitting around in your pantry for months will take longer to cook than newer ones.

[piccola]

I know. But carlin wanted to know how long to cook *fresh* chickpeas.

[carln]

Is it a bad idea to try to use fresh ones? I thought it would be better.

[piccola]

It's not bad, it just won't give you the same result. It's like using edamame vs. mature soybeans - the former tastes fresh and sweet, kind of like peas, while the latter taste like, well, beans.

http://www.nandyala.org/mahanandi/images/greengarbanzos/methicholeimagecopyrighted1.jpg
vs.
http://img.alibaba.com/photo/10996490...

[jennisad]

Is there a difference in using tahini or sesame oil? Reason I ask, I cannot find tahini ANYWHERE, I live in the south, we have no Trader Joe's...anyone have ideas of where it can be found in the Clear Lake, Texas area?

And if not is sesame oil ok to use instead?

[MMRuth]

Unfortunately, tahini and sesame oil are completely different, though the sesame oil would help impart the taste, you won't have the texture/volume added by the tahini.

http://www.chow.com/ingredients/300

See the third paragraph for a description of tahini.

[violabratsche]

I have found jars of tahini that had no word "tahini" on it at all, but the words "sesame paste".
Also, if you are in the south, I can guarantee you that Whole Foods carries tahini, as I saw it there on a recent trip to Texas.
I just checked and there is a Whole Foods within about 10 miles of you, jennisad.

AnnieG

[jennisad]

THANK YOU!!!
What a great idea, peanut butter, but I will look at Whole Foods, I do think I have seen 'sesame paste' at Kroger though...thank you all for the tips!
Hummus here I come!

[alkapal]

I've even seen tahini in Winn Dixie in N. Fort Myers, Florida. I think looking for "sesame paste" might do the trick.

[MacGuffin]

"Sesame paste" is the English translation of "tahini."

[piccola]

Worst case scenario: use peanut butter. Not the same, but close enough.

[loveinmytummy]

Oh Oh...cashew butter is fantastic in hummus, although harder to find than tahini/ sesame paste.

[jennisad]

I know exactly whre I can find cashew butter...Thanks everyone :)

[tlegray]

Jennisad I live in Clear Lake, Texas and I just bough a jar of tahini yesterday at Krogers on El Camino. It was the last jar but I've gotten it in the area before. I look for it in the International food aisle or the natural/health food aisles. I'm pretty sure I bought my last jar at HEB on El Camino but couldn't say for sure.

I wouldn't use sesame oil. It seems to have to strong a flavor.

Just made some hummus today....hmmm

[jennisad]

Reporting back...I made the hummus...chickpeas, garlic, lemon, roasted red peppers...forgot the tahini/ (peanut or cashew)butter. Tasted it and it tastes as it always does homemade for me...

Remembered the key ingredient, and I had almond butter on hand...figured it cant hurt. HUGE DIFFERENCE!! THIS IS HUMMUS!

Thanks to all for helping...so good!

[KaimukiMan]

I have trouble finding tahini here in honolulu, unless I make a special trip to the health food store - which I try to avoid because of their usurious pricing, just don't like to do business with people who charge $2 each for a red bell pepper. Instead I use a mixture of sesame oil and olive oil. Too much sesame oil and it changes the taste. Some people recommend using peanut butter as a sub for the tahini, but I really don't like the taste when I do that. For now I will stick to the sesame/olive oil combination, and just live with the fact that it is a variation on tradition.

[Joebob]

Hey, KMan! India Market, on the East end of Beretania (2570 Beretania, #105) has deliciously fresh jars of Tahini. I just bought a jar last week. See also www.indiamarkethawaii.com.

[sheilal]

I just made my first back of homemade hummus and I achieved velvety smoothness by using a blender instead of a food processor. I had to add most of the drained juice from the chick peas for it to process (plus the EVOO, Tahini & lemon juice that the recipe called me). It was delish!!!!

[sfbecky]

you will never get smooth texture using canned chick peas...soak dried beans overnight, cook 1-2 hrs, then put through a food mill to remove skins. .you won't believe the difference

[GilloD]

Here's my rough recipe, it needs a little bit of work:
1 15 oz can of chick peas
3 tablespoons of tahini (Check your tahini! Some brands are grainy and bitter and can give your Hummus an undesirable "greasy" feeling)
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cumin
Garlic (2 cloves unroasted, 4-6 roasted)
Lemon juice
Reserved bean liquid

Blend! Add EVOO or bean liquid to taste/texture. The secret really is in beating it up. This recipe needs a little bit of work, but it's a nice jumping off point.

[tlegray]

If you are using canned chick peas it could be the brand. I found I like the Cento brand best for hummus. I also add the olive oil upon serving.

[plowthor]

Dear Message Board,

Thank you so much for your replies! You have raised some good points!

[zataar]

I must have made one ton of hummus for the four years I worked at a mediterranean restaurant. We never added olive oil, only water, to the garbanzo bean, tahini, and lemon juice mixture. The garlic was pounded with salt to a creamy puree and added to everything else. Olive oil was drizzled generously over the finished hummus for serving, with a sprinkle of paprika and parsley and a few olives scattered over. I still make hummus that way, never adding olive oil to the hummus, only pouring it over for serving. And never any black pepper. Black pepper does not belong in hummus.

[zataar]

Another thing, if using canned beans, rinse them like crazy with cold water. Some recipes call for adding some of the canning liquid, but that is so metallic, we just rinsed all that stuff away and used fresh water.

[alkapal]

Right, zataar, no olive oil in, just on top. My husband loves zataar with chicken livers! (the food, not the avatar). Learned all from a Lebanese friend of mine.

[IndyGirl]

I have heard that removing the skins and using a food mill is the secret. I've never tried it, and I have never bee n able to get super-creamy hummus, either.

BTW, my favorite Sabra flavor is the spicy kind. It's SOO good!

[eastvillgirl]

Mmm, spicy Sabra is my all time favorite too! I had given up buying hummus in the US, because it was always so pathetic compared to what I'd eaten in Israel - UNTIL I discovered Sabra. And now I've given up on making hummus, I just can't make it as good as Sabra does.

However, I think that using a LOT of tahini improves hummus texture, as well as a fairly generous pour of olive oil. I agree with the previous posters that adequate processing is also essential.

[Tom P]

I, too, am a Sabra fan and I, too, make a lot of my own hummus. I have never been able to replicate that creaminess. Maybe, as Scubadoo suggests, removing the skins would help.

[rcallner]

I just noticed on the opening home page to this site there's a recommendation for making your hummous creamy by simmering the chick peas in water or broth for 5 - 10 minutes at the start of the recipe. I think including the garlic cloves in the simmer would probably be a good idea, as well.

[loveinmytummy]

I've used recipes that call using the juice from the can. Although, if your processor blade isn't sharp it will never get creamy. I finally replaced the 10 y/o blade in mine. Anyway, the best hummus I get is at a Mediterranean restaurant in Tampa called Byblos. It's incredibly smooth and creamy and has a fresh flavor but I'm almost certain they don't use garlic. If so, it must be roasted. What's nice about the hummus is that it has a nutty sweetness and so smooth! My guess is that they use a good quality, probably toasted sesame, tahini and the icing on the cake...fantastic and fruity Lebanese olive oil. It's always drizzled on top and I'm sure it's in the recipe. Good luck with yours...maybe consult a Lebanese cook book?

[alkapal]

where can you find toasted sesame tahini? i have never seen it. thanks.

[goodhealthgourmet]

it'a rare, but sometimes you can find it at random whole foods locations or natural foods stores.

[Caroline1]

Or make it yourself. Not that difficult. Buy a couple of pounds of sesame seeds, spread them out in a jelly roll pan, put them in a 300F oven stirring them every five minutes or so. Taste regularly until you get the degree of toasting you want but be very careful not to let them burn. Cool completely, stirring every once in a while to help the cooling along. Then put them in a blender with a cup and a half of oil (maybe two cups) and whirr away! I use either a mild flavored olive oil or peanut oil. I don't like the taste of canola oil.

[Querencia]

Tahini comes in a jar in the supermarket. If your market doesn't carry it, ask the manager to order some. The other day there was a hummus thread on a political board, Yahoo News, with about 20% of posters fearing hummus as evidence of an Islamic takeover, but at least 60-70% of posters from all over the country were saying they make their own hummus. I was kind of surprised that it has become so mainstream so fast. So if people are making their own hummus, your market should be stocking tahini. And it doesn't have to be special "toasted sesame" tahini---just get the jar that says "tahini" which is sesame seed paste. This doesn't have to be complicated and esoteric.

[MacGuffin]

"This doesn't have to be complicated and esoteric."
One would, on the other hand, like it to be good. There's some pretty awful tahini out there; it's not all created equal.

[DiveFan]

Sometimes you Really have to pester the manager, or better yet e-mail them. The most common toasted brands at WF are Joyva or Sahadi (in a can). Maranatha makes a toasted version but it was on recall recently.

[Val]

Ever look at the ingredients of Sabra hummus? The second one is water...maybe that's how they do it...I have some (the roasted garlic variety) and I do like it but recently tried another brand, Sultan, sold at small independent health food store and the texture is TOTALLY different...Sultan does not list any water as an ingredient.

[scubadoo97]

Val I just looked and yes the 2nd ingredient is water then tahini, then soybean oil or canola oil. So it's got a lot of water and oil. They use citric acid in lieu of lemon juice so I guess that's were some of the added water comes in. I've tasted Sabra and still like to make my own. Just one of those things I feel I don't have to buy.

[Val]

Yeah, I hear you...but I've tried making my own twice and have been disappointed and say to myself "Well, this is one thing that's it's just better to buy." I'll keep trying...I'm not putting the Sabra product down at all and I also loved the Sultan hummus, totally different texture and flavor, much tangier as they do use lemon juice in theirs.

[scubadoo97]

My grandmother would remove the skins on the chickpeas. If you don't do that you just need to process it for a long time until it is smooth.

[antrobin]

I've made hummus for years but recently began buying Sabra because it was so much smoother than any I've made. Recently I've gone back to experimenting and have learned a few things.

First to obtain that texture, you need to remove the skins. I've had equally good results with canned chickpeas and dried. It's not as time-consuming as it at first seems and the finished product is sublime. If I have the time, I push the chickpea puree through a fine sieve (as I don't have a food mill), then return to the food processor and add the garlic, tahini, and lemon juice. I've found too that using more lemon juice and tahini than the recipe calls for will greatly enhance the creamy texture.

[bachlava]

How exactly does one remove chickpea skins? I am looking for that sought after creamy texture. :)

[soupkitten]

fastest way is to fill a big bowl with water, float the cooked chickpeas (doesn't matter if they are home cooked or canned), rub them with your hands. let the skins settle out, then lift out the cleaned chickpeas.

[fran124]

Your grandmother was right. It's a pain, but the result is smooth hummus.

I don't like packaged hummus like Sabra 'cause they use oils other than olive. Canola makes my husband sick.

[sans_soy]

Most people don't realize that they are actually allergic to soy, it may be the soy oil in the Sabra Hummus that makes your husband sick. I learned the hard way it contained a mixture of soy oil after ingesting it.

[mettagape]

Another ingredient in Sabra Hummus: Potassium Sorbate as an preservative.

One thing that makes great food is ingredient history. Some foods have a vibrance that allows complete appreciation of it's experience, from before consumption to after digestion.

[oakjoan]

I didn't know that the skins would be blended in if one processed the chickpeas "a long time"......I don't find it too difficult or irritating to rub the skins off. I almost always buy dry garbanzos and cook them myself. After rubbing off the skins, I process the garbanzos with garlic, tahini, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Sometimes I blend in cilantro or parsley.

A favorite dinner is a sort of taco made with half pitas warmed and opened up. Stuff with some hummus and top with a salad mixture of chopped parsley (NOT CURLY!), tomatoes, bell peppers, arugula and crumbled feta. A wonderful breakfast as well....it's even great with coffee.

[scubadoo97]

Hummus and salad go great together. In the Middle East it's not uncommon to see curly parsley used.as well as the flat. Both have good flavor if fresh, even though curly get's a bad rap

[nzach]

i also think that it's just a question of processing it LOTS. but actually, in my experience if the vast majority of your hummus is just chick peas, then it won't be as smooth. there needs to be a good amount of tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and the water from cooking the chick peas. i don't really use a recipe, just to taste. and you really can't hurt it by processing it for a long long time.

[PamelaD]

I think the secret to a nice creamy hummus is to process the heck out of it in a cuisinart.

I process chickpeas and garlic (plus opt. cumin) and tahini and a bit of lemon juice till chopped up well then start adding either some liquid from the chickpeas or a bit of oil then let the cuis go. Then I add either a bit of yogurt or more oil or a bit of water as it is processing. When you think it is done, let it go another few minutes!

Nice an creamy.

good luck,
P

[misterbrucie]

Here's how I learned it:

1 can chickpeas -- drain, and save the liquid. Dump peas into food processor.
Add garlic, sesame tahini (too much can give it a nasty undertone -- going to try just sesame oil next time & see how that works) and a little lemon juice, plus whatever else you want in it (roasted red peppers etc).
Turn on the food processor.
Once it's ground into a paste, pour in liquid from the can, a little bit at a time. You might want to wipe down the sides of the bowl at some point. Pour in a little olive oil (teaspoon? more? whatever). Leave the machine going until it looks as smooth as you want it.

Not sure if it's possible to over-process... I guess eventually it would explode or turn into cement or something.

[wayne keyser]

Yes, that's my way too - to serve, sprinkle with a tiny bit of fresh chopped parsley - serve with a bit of a hollow in the middle, filled with a tablespoon or less of really good olive oil

[Caroline1]

I get a much smoother finish when I use my blender rather than my food processor. I also use some of the canning liquid to thin it enough to blend. My ratio is a can of garbanzos, a half a cup of tahini, a couple of ounces of olive oil (to taste), two or three cloves of garlic and whir in the blender until it's as smooth as room temperature butter. When I've achieved that, I check for salt and add a bit if needed. And then I add a dash of cumin and blend some more, but do be careful because cumin "grows" in flavor as the hummus ages. Pour it into a bowl, smooth the top, make an "X" across the top that is a bit deeper where it crosses, drizzle it full of olive oil, top with a dash of finely chopped parsley and serve with wedges of warm pita.

Oooops! I forgot the lemon juice. Actually, I use lime juice instead.

There are a lot of variations on "hummus," even though it is the Arabic word for garbanzos (chick peas, cece beans or whatever you want to call them). My recipe is for basic Turkish variety, but you can jazz it up by adding hot green chiles (and there are no hotter chiles than those in Turkey!). Sun dried tomatoes will give you pink hummus. You can also make interesting variations by substituting just about any bean (well, except green beans) known to man for the garbanzos. But if the beans have a thick skin, such as true fava beans and most lima beans, then you need to pop them out of their skins before processing.

[alkapal]

also caroline, recall roasted red pepper pureed with the hummus. yum-bo!