Hummus

Creamy, nutty, and healthy! Hummus is the perfect snack and a convenient appetizer. For those that are looking for gluten free options, this is ideal when served up with some corn tortillas.

Middle-eastern restaurants have made hummus a staple menu item. Whether paired with falafels or eaten by itself, hummus satisfies the taste buds completely. Making it at home is a snap. Let your taste buds guide you in the proportion you want to use in the ingredients.

For the recipe below, be careful to not add all the ingredients in their total amounts from the beginning. Instead, add a few tablespoons, taste, adjust as needed. Tahini is somewhat tricky. There is a wide variance in taste depending on the brand you are using. Too much and you’ll end up with an extremely bitter concoction. Too little, and you’ll be left craving that trademark hummus taste.

Ingredients:

1 can garbanzos ( you can also soak garbanzos overnight)
7-9 tablespoons tahini ( make sure to mix the jar since the oil tends to separate)
7 tablespoons lemon juice
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic
¼ tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Parsley and sumac for garnish ( optional)

Directions:

tahini

grind the garbanzos

mix and add the tahini

scrape down sides for an even mix

slowly add oil and lemon juice

Mix and serve

1. Put the garbanzos and garlic in a food processor. Azfar’s tip: Use the garbanzo water for an extra burst of flavor.
2. Pulse to grind. Add a few tablespoons of tahini, lemon juice and olive oil at a time, and keep pulsing.
3. Add seasonings.
4. Keep adjusting the tahini, lemon juice and olive oil amount till you get the desired taste and consistency.
5. Take out in a shallow bowl and drizzle fresh oil, parsley, paprika and sumac on top.
6. Serve with flour or corn tortillas.

If you need ideas for other appetizers to serve alongside this hummus, check out these Pot Roast Sliders and Guacomole!

Do justice to your taste buds, and dive right in!