465714 Sun Dec 02 13:08:35 -0800 2007 42 31 Home Cooking 0 3173027 I bought chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and I have the salt, olive oil, and garlic on hand. This all seems really straight forward but I figured I ask if there's anything special anyone likes to do when making hummus? Sun Dec 02 13:08:35 -0800 2007 15507 Rick 1 3173038 Three things come to mind: Make sure your food processor works. Consider roasting the garlic first and the amount you include is not overwhelming...roasted or raw. A sprinkle of fresh herbs adds another level of flavor. Sun Dec 02 13:13:32 -0800 2007 3173027 123497 fourunder 1 3173051 You aren't going to like this....but, I BELIEVE you get smoother hummus if you remove the skins from the chickpeas first...for a 15 ounce can, this takes a while. I still like it very much without removing the skins, but the texture is *to me* better without them but I don't always have time to sit and do this; it's easy enough, just gently squeeze between thumb and finger and the chickpea slips right out but there are a whole lotta chickpeas in a 15 ounce can, that's for sure! If you have a helper, even a child, it would go faster. Sun Dec 02 13:17:41 -0800 2007 3173027 11983 Val 2 3173063 Wow, Val. Your patience and attention to detail are astounding. Sun Dec 02 13:25:05 -0800 2007 3173051 113872 diablo 3 3173207 I had read about doing this right here on this board (varying disagreement over it, as always, which is great) and a co-worker whose spouse has had severe problems with ulcerative colitis and even recent extensive surgeries (he's only 34 and has lost so much weight from this sickness that he did not need to lose) told me that he cannot have hummus with the skins so she makes it for him without the skins, God bless her, I get teary-eyed over what they have been through...and then, I tried it and I do think it IS better without the skins, just a perception of mine. Sun Dec 02 14:48:45 -0800 2007 3173063 11983 Val 4 3174673 Maybe I'll try it myself. Mon Dec 03 06:58:34 -0800 2007 3173207 113872 diablo 4 3182980 It is better if the skin is removed. To make it easier to remove the skins, simmer the chickpeas in water for about 5 minutes, drain and let cool. Wed Dec 05 15:55:24 -0800 2007 3173207 16143 b2g 2 3174961 I thought I was the only one who went to the trouble of removing the skins hehe. I agree I think it makes for smoother hummus. Any time I've made it without removing the skins I find one or two that the processor missed(never a whole chickpea, just the skins sheesh). I remove skins while watching tv... makes it seem less tedious :) Mon Dec 03 08:38:45 -0800 2007 3173051 138472 maplesugar 3 3175089 If you have a food mill you can easily break down the chickpeas and remove the skins at the same time. Very fast and easy way to remove the skins. I did this for a while and took the ground up chickpeas from the food mill to the food processor. Very smooth results but after doing this for a while I came to the realization that the difference was too little to worry about. Mon Dec 03 09:12:37 -0800 2007 3174961 89493 scubadoo97 1 3173068 the addition of a little cumin and smoked paprika perks it up a bit, nothing intense, should be subtle. Sun Dec 02 13:26:43 -0800 2007 3173027 12752 MsDiPesto 1 3173070 Good for you Rick. Hummus is super easy. I make it about once a week. I have started cooking my own chickpeas now as well but used canned ones for years. I never removed the skins and if you process it for a long time it gets smooth. I blender will help get ultra smooth results if that's what you're after. I grew up with the addition of ground cumin in hummus. Just doesn't taste right without it for me but it's a matter of personal taste. I always use raw garlic as well as it's the most traditional way to use it. Use roasted if you like it more mellow. When using the garlic, I make a paste of the garlic with salt. Just smash it down on the board and cover in salt. Use the side of your knife to make a paste with the garlic. This way it is incooporated well into the dip and no one gets a chunk of garlic. Sun Dec 02 13:28:12 -0800 2007 3173027 89493 scubadoo97 2 3173086 A very knowledgeable Egyptian client of mine told me to toss a small, peeled, boiled potato into the mix. Seriously. It made the creamiest, richest Hummus I've ever eaten. Sun Dec 02 13:34:36 -0800 2007 3173070 27748 rruben1 1 3173094 At our Lebanese Feast last night, myplateoryours replicated a hummous dish that she'd had in a restaurant in London: bits of lean lamb sauteed in a little olive oil and poured on top of the hummous. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and chopped fresh parsley. Totally out-of-sight! Sun Dec 02 13:39:33 -0800 2007 3173027 11995 pikawicca 2 3173113 I do that too - love it! I think the pine nuts were "toasted" in butter on the stove top. Sun Dec 02 13:48:35 -0800 2007 3173094 10985 MMRuth 1 3173101 The garlic gets pretty strong over a few days in the fridge, so you may want to use less garlic than you might think if you are making a large quantity. Sun Dec 02 13:44:09 -0800 2007 3173027 12120 julesrules 2 3173356 Just made my first batch of hummus. Next time I'll cut back on the tahini about a half tablespoon. Otherwise, quick, easy, and cheap! Thanks all. I also used a blender since I don't have a food processor. I'm assuming it'd be a bit easier in a food processor? Sun Dec 02 15:44:39 -0800 2007 3173101 15507 Rick 3 3173365 I've only ever made it in my food processor but I believe I remember reading on this board that it certainly can be done well in a blender! If it works well for you in the blender, why go out and buy a food processor just for hummus? As far as ease, you still have a container to scrape out no matter what so not sure that really matters. Sun Dec 02 15:48:09 -0800 2007 3173356 11983 Val 4 3173384 I rinse the chickpeas in a strainer, add all the ingredient mentioned. Serve the hummus sprinkled with red pepper, chopped parsley and a little olive oil. I received compliments from DH saying my hummus was better than the ready made ones that I purchase. Sun Dec 02 15:57:58 -0800 2007 3173365 133679 classylady 3 3173517 Back in the old days when I learned to make hummous, food processors did not exist. We used a blender. Just be sure to put in all of the liquid ingredients first, and be prepared to stop the blender once or twice and stir the contents around with a dinner knife. Incidentally, in Lebanon, olive oil is never added to the hummous. It's thinned with the chickpea cooking liquid and the olive oil is drizzled on top, once the mixture is spread in a rather thin layer on a serving platter. Sun Dec 02 16:49:59 -0800 2007 3173356 11995 pikawicca 1 3173378 We find regular hummus kind of bland. Here's a recipe that we use: Kicked Up Hummus Dip 1 (15-oz) can Chick Peas, drained 4 Tbs lemon juice 2 Tbs lime juice 2 Tbs olive oil 2 Tbs Tahini paste 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tsp toasted sesame oil 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp ground coriander dash cayenne pepper salt and black pepper to taste Place ingredients in food processor, blend until smooth. Sun Dec 02 15:55:32 -0800 2007 3173027 126101 Antilope 1 3175487 I love hummus and have always wanted to try it, so I'm glad to hear you are giving it a shot. I think I know the answer to this, but I'll ask anyway. I buy a lot of pre-made store bought hummus, and like the variety that is commercially available. Especially roasted red pepper. So to people who make this at home.....is it that much better? Am I missing out on something here? Mon Dec 03 10:51:44 -0800 2007 3173027 82777 egbluesuede 2 3175539 Egblue, I always bought the commercial stuff too and wanted to try making it myself to save a few bucks and just to try it fresh. Well, I don't see myself buying store bought again with how easy this was to do. The homemade version is much smoother/creamier. Mon Dec 03 11:06:15 -0800 2007 3175487 15507 Rick 2 3175612 It's really a different animal. I buy the commercial brands for a quick snack or sandwich filling with vaguely middle eastern overtones and they are fine (and in fact that Tribe brand version with 40 spices is really yummy!) . But the real deal is just chick peas, tahini, lemon and garlic and the flavor is pure and wonderful. In all my childhood growing up in a Lebanese family, nothing else was ever added to the hummus except a drizzle of oil at the finish. In my experience -- if you want that, you need to make it yourself. Mon Dec 03 11:25:46 -0800 2007 3175487 14614 myplateoryours 2 3175639 It's better, MUCH cheaper, and faster to just make it at home. I don't know why anyone buys hummus. One trick I haven't seen mentioned is to add the olive oil by hand at the very end, after you've removed the hummus from the food processor. Stirring the oil in by hand preserves its flavor, the high RPM thrashing it takes in the food processor destroys the flavor of the oil. I usually make it with 1 tsp. each of cumin and coriander (per 15oz. can of chickpeas), and a dash of cayenne. Mon Dec 03 11:33:52 -0800 2007 3175487 29811 Buckethead 3 3175834 Sounds like I have something new to try. I can definately see me adding my personal touch on this. I'm thinking heat! Mon Dec 03 12:29:02 -0800 2007 3175639 82777 egbluesuede 4 3175924 I need some more tips on making it. I only made one batch and found that I had to add extra lemon to get it to blend well. It really needed more liquid and I just used lemon since that was the lowest calorie thing in there. The recipe I used also included 1/4cup of the juice in which the chickpeas came in. Do you use more chickpea juice while blending? I'd like to make it without olive oil and just drizzle on later, but it seemed like it needed the liquid. Mon Dec 03 12:56:49 -0800 2007 3175834 15507 Rick 5 3176065 I'm sure all the purists will disagree with my suggestions but consider adding: 1. Just plain old water 2. Vegetable stock or any other kind available 3. A pureed vegetable such as a roasted red pepper No recipe is written in stone and most great dishes were discovered by accident. Mon Dec 03 13:33:54 -0800 2007 3175924 123497 fourunder 5 3182439 If it needs thinning, I use the chickpea liquid. I usually end up using about half of the liquid that was in the can. As fourunder says, it's flexible, add what you like. Roasted red peppers are very good in hummus, so is a chipotle with a bit of the adobo sauce. My recipe, in case you care to try it, is: 15-oz. can chickpeas 2 cloves garlic 1 tsp each ground cumin and ground coriander dash cayenne 1 tsp salt (at least) 2-3 tbs lemon juice big glob of tahini, probably 1/4 cup Blend all that in the food processor, along with whatever else you want to add (a roasted red pepper, a chipotle) thinning it with chickpea juice if you need to, bearing in mind that you're going to add olive oil after it comes out of the food processor. Salt to taste. Take it out of the food processor and stir in 2 tbs of good olive oil, more if you like. Wed Dec 05 12:58:57 -0800 2007 3175924 29811 Buckethead 5 3182781 might want to make hummus w the oil, just once, to compare the taste & texture. it's really supposed to have some of it in there, and it's heart healthy fats. you can figure out just how much oil & tahini you can leave out before the texture becomes unacceptable to you. Wed Dec 05 14:51:55 -0800 2007 3175924 46030 soupkitten 6 3182847 Actually, the oil is supposed to be ON, not IN, the hummous. Wed Dec 05 15:14:51 -0800 2007 3182781 11995 pikawicca 5 3183091 Keep the garbanzo juice on hand and use for thinning if you need it, although you can also use water or olive oil. Since lemons vary in size and garlic varies in strength, I find you have to fiddle with the balance at the end. My recipe calls for 1 can garbanzo beans, juice of 1 lemon, 1 garlic clove and 6 T. tahini, salt & pepper to taste. I usually mix it, then taste, and add more garlic or more lemon as needed. Wed Dec 05 16:44:09 -0800 2007 3175924 11028 DanaB 3 3175920 How long can you keep the homemade hummus in the fridge, before it goes bad? Mon Dec 03 12:55:52 -0800 2007 3175639 131124 ctflowers 4 3176102 At least a week or more. Mon Dec 03 13:42:40 -0800 2007 3175920 89493 scubadoo97 5 3182649 It freezes too. I use more than 1/4c of the chickpea liquid. My recipe only called for 1/4 c but it turns out too thick. Wed Dec 05 14:06:07 -0800 2007 3176102 147864 drmgreen 4 3182681 Not sure when it goes bad. It never lasts that long in our house. Wed Dec 05 14:15:02 -0800 2007 3175920 49179 jennywinker 2 3183082 Homemade hummus -- even if you use canned chickpeas instead of dried -- is much, much better than even the best commercially-packaged kind. I've tried all of them, even hound favorites like "Sabra" brand, and none come close to homemade. Given that homemade is so easy, I'd definitely given it a whirl and see if you prefer it, too. You can always add your favorite flavor to homemade. Wed Dec 05 16:39:51 -0800 2007 3175487 11028 DanaB 1 3182831 The only thing special that I do is to try to follow the KISS rule. Ingredients: chickpeas, fresh lemon juice, tahini from ROASTED sesame seeds Soak dried beans for at least 24 hours, preferably 48. If using canned beans, drain and rinse thoroughly - do NOT use the awful can juice. Place in a large bowl with water and scrub the skins off by hand (they float!). Use enough tahini to be noticeable but not overbearing. Add lemon juice (lots!) to balance the nutty tahini flavor. IMO it's hard to add too much lemon juice - this is where commercial preparations really wimp out. Go for nutty AND bright. Blend until creamy. You may have to add more lemon juice (yay!), water or even a little white vinegar. Now, if you must, add your backup players - extra virgin olive oil, ROASTED garlic, cumin, etc. Only Greeks seems to use too much raw garlic in hummus or similar dips. Let the subtle ingredients 'speak' for themselves. Serve with toasted pita chips and/or vegetable sticks. BTW here's another recent topic with plenty of hints: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/437415 Wed Dec 05 15:07:40 -0800 2007 3173027 23712 DiveFan 1 3182857 I remove the skins from the chickpeas as well - it makes the hummous smoother and creamier. A tip I picked up in Iraq, from a shopkeeper who made (excellent) hummous using tinned chickpeas: rather than removing the skins pea-by-pea, put your cooked chickpeas into the bottom of a large bowl, and fill the bowl with water. Submerge your hands and rub the chickpeas together between your fingers gently. After a few minutes, pull out your hands and wait -- the chickpea skins will float to the surface. Skim the skins off and discard, then repeat two or three more times until most of the skins are removed. Then tip the chickpeas into a sieve or strainer -- the last few skins will be obvious and easy to pick out. Hope that helps... Wed Dec 05 15:16:51 -0800 2007 3173027 113189 ItinerantKitchenElf 2 3187804 Two more questions. 1. I've kept my opened tahini on the shelf, should it be refrigerated or is it ok in the pantry? 2. If using dried beans, do you just soak them, or do you soak them then cook them? Fri Dec 07 08:47:50 -0800 2007 3182857 15507 Rick 3 3187902 I keep my tahini in the cupboard. Soak chickpeas, then cook. Fri Dec 07 09:17:20 -0800 2007 3187804 11995 pikawicca 3 3188231 treat it like "natural style" peanut butter or nut butter w/no preservatives-- refrigerate. it will go eventually go rancid if your pantry isn't very cool. Fri Dec 07 10:47:14 -0800 2007 3187804 46030 soupkitten 4 3189061 I live in Fla and if you are buying good tahini that has not set on the shelve for a year, it will hold up fine in your cabinet for quite a while. The problem with refrigerating is it gets hard and you can't stir it. Unless you stir it very well before refrigerating you will end up with a layer of oil and very stiff to rock hard tahini on the bottom. I store my jars upside down before using for the first time to facilitate mixing. Fri Dec 07 14:43:05 -0800 2007 3188231 89493 scubadoo97 1 3187852 I love the addition of a little oil on top when you're ready to eat, and fresh chopped parsley sprinkled on the top of the already blended hummus is just wonderful. Spouse actually likes it a little chunky, as well as creamy. Fri Dec 07 09:04:31 -0800 2007 3173027 12752 MsDiPesto