75mlcooking water from the chickpeas, or ice cold water
To garnish
extra virgin olive oil
ground cumin or paprika, (optional)
flat-leaf parsley, (optional)
How I make it
Place the chickpeas along with ½ tsp of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) in a large pot and cover with at least three times their volume water. Soak for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Change the water, add the remaining ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and bring to the boil. Boil voraciously for 2–3 minutes, then skim and lower the heat to a soft simmer. Keep on simmer until the chickpeas are completely soft, anything from 25 minutes to an hour or more. The chickpeas are done when they yield no resistance when you gently squeeze them between your fingers. Drain and reserve the cooking water. Set aside a few of the prettiest-looking chickpeas to garnish.
While still warm, add the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and 75 ml/⅓ cup of the cooking water, cumin (if using) and salt to a food processor. Mix until completely smooth and fairly fluffy, at least 3-4 minutes. Once it looks done, I usually leave it running for 1–2 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning or flavours to your preference.
Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on top of the hummus. There should be no air between the hummus and the plastic wrap. The hummus will be fairly runny at this point, but it'll firm up as it cools down. Leave to cool on the kitchen counter. If you're short on time, put it in the refrigerator to speed up the process.
Serve on one large or several smaller plates. Use the back of a spoon while spinning the plate to create the characteristic dimples in the bowl. Garnish with the reserved chickpeas and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, as well as some cumin or paprika and chopped flat-leaf parsley, if you like.
Tips & notes
Why bicarbonate? The bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) is optional, but makes the water more alkaline, aiding in breaking down the skin of the chickpeas. This makes for a much smoother hummus. If making a larger batch, there's no need to increase the amount.All the details: In my newsletter Meze, I went a little more in-depth, covering the 6 steps I consider crucial to get hummus just as I like it.
Storing leftover hummus: Keep hummus in a closed container in the fridge, and it'll keep for up to 5 days. You can also freeze hummus. Personally, I prefer to cook the chickpeas first and freeze them after stage 2, then defrosting and continuing from step 3 when want to make more hummus.
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