The key to the perfect hummus is to soak dried chickpeas overnight instead of using canned chickpeas. The chickpeas are a little more firm and a lot more flavorful. We like to serve our hummus with sliced wheels of our favorite seasonal veggies or with crackers. Click here for our other Lebanese recipes.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 2 cups chickpeas
- pinch of baking soda
- 1 head of roasted garlic (*see instructions below)
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/8 tsp asafetida powder (optional but adds nice flavor)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Roast Garlic:- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Cut off the short end of a whole head of garlic so you can squeeze the cloves out easily after it's roasted
- Wrap the whole head of garlic in tin foil and roast on a cookie sheet for 45 minutes - 1 hour (until the cloves soften enough to spread like butter)
- Cover chickpeas with water and soak overnight with a pinch of baking soda (makes chickpeas softer)
- Drain and rinse thoroughly
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook chickpeas until tender, about 2 hours
- Put chickpeas in a food processor
- Squeeze 3-4 roasted garlic cloves into the food processor
- Add lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, asafetida powder, salt and pepper and purée to a smooth consistency. Add a little more olive oil if necessary
Please list carbohydrate, fat, sodium info on your recipes. It’s helpful. Thanks.
what if we don’t have Tahini. Can we still make the hummus?
Nut Butters. Cashew, almond, brazil nut or any combination of the above can be substituted as can be Sunflower seed butter.
What is asafetida powder and where do you buy it ?
Asafetida powder is also known as Hing and lends a garlic-like flavor. You can purchase it at Amazon or Whole Foods.
Indian markets will have it – it’s a common ingredient in that cuisine. It stinks (!!!), but cooking changes it so your food won’t smell or taste like the raw powder does.
I often make it without to make it all oil free. But I do prefer it with a small amount
Do you put the soaking beans in the fridge or leave them on the counter overnight?
Leave them soaking overnight, covered and on the counter.