Alternative:Hummus I

| Middle Eastern cuisines | Hummus

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry chickpeas
• water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• tahini (t'hina) and water, to make a paste; fresh lemon juice can be substituted for some of the water
• ground cumin; fresh, coarsely cut coriander leaves; salt to taste

Procedure

On the night before you plan to cook

1. In a large pot, add the chickpeas, 2.5 cups of water, and baking soda. Leave to soak for 6-12 hours.
2. Rinse.

Cook the peas

1. Add the rinsed peas to 3 cups of water, the garlic, and one teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil. After about 45 minutes, they should swell enough for their skins to come off. Give it a stir, and use a sieve spoon to remove as many of the skins as you can from the water.
2. Cover the pot and continue cooking for about 2 hours, or until they almost dissolve to a paste.
3. Pour out the water. (optionally, some can be reserved to add later, for extra flavor)
4. Mash the peas by pressing them through a pasta sieve.
5. If it doesn't work, you haven't cooked them enough. or use a food processor!
6. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
7. Add tahini and water until you get the right consistency.

Some cooks add tahini concentrate and lemon juice, instead of diluted tahini.

Season with

• salt
• ground cumin
• fresh, coarsely cut coriander leaves

Notes, tips, and variations

Serve with any combination of

• olive oil
• tahini
• za'atar
• Roast pine nuts
• French fries

Related

• T'hina