Hummus

I love hummus. It’s amazing that just a few chickpeas and a few other ingredients produces something so tasty. The added bonus is that it is substantial and really (probably) good for you.

I nearly always make it at home. There is only one brand I like – Yarden’s hummus is really delicious, with a lovely smooth texture and rich, nutty flavour. Otherwise, I find bought hummus often has a sour, bland taste. Far better to make it at home then!

Nearly everyone I know has their own variation on the recipe. Some keep it simple, really just chickpeas, salt, pepper and a little olive oil. Against this background, I guess my version is the bling bling of hummus. I like to use olive oil, but also a couple of spoons of low-fat natural yoghurt for creaminess and slight tanginess, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, cumin, a little fresh garlic, salt, pepper and – most important of all – quite a lot of good quality tahini (sesame paste). For me, it is the tahini that makes the dish. It thickens the dip, and brings a rich, toasted nuttiness.

Now that (perhaps?) summer is coming, this is great with some good fresh bread and a salad as a light supper on a warm evening. LondonEats is staying positive and hoping that we’ll all be sitting in our gardens very, very soon!

For the hummus:

• 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
• 1 generous teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 clove garlic, very finely chopped
• salt
• ground pepper
• 4 tablespoons tahini

Put all the ingredients except the tahini, salt and pepper into a food processor and puree until smooth.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add tahini and mix well. This recipe uses quite a lot as I like a strong tahini taste. Use less if you want a smoother hummus, but more if you want it to be quite firm.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and scattering of fresh parsley.

Worth making? This is a really easy recipe and the results are delicious. If you need a dip at short notice, this can also be produced with the most basic items in the store cupboard, and makes a healthy and filling snack.