Hummus bi Tahini

The Levantine ground chickpea and sesame emulsion: dried chickpeas soaked overnight and long-cooked until collapsing, blended with tahini, lemon and raw garlic into the cold, silken meze that has been documented in Arab cookbooks since the 13th century and is now the world's most internationally recognised chickpea preparation

Origin: Damascus and Cairo, Levant

From the journey of Chickpea.

Hummus bi tahini (chickpeas with sesame paste) is documented in Arabic culinary manuscripts from 13th-century Cairo and Syria. The word hummus simply means 'chickpea' in Arabic; the dish's full name (hummus bi tahini, or more formally hummus bi tahini wa lemon: chickpeas with sesame paste and lemon) describes what is in the bowl. The preparation is the subject of passionate contested cultural ownership across Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and Syria, a geopolitical dispute mapped onto one of the world's simplest dishes. What is beyond dispute is the technique: the best hummus requires dried chickpeas (not canned), soaked and cooked until they collapse at a touch; good tahini (the quality varies enormously between brands); fresh lemon juice; and the recognition that tahini, not chickpeas, provides most of the flavour in a properly balanced hummus. The Israeli food writer Yotam Ottolenghi and the Palestinian chef Sami Tamimi have both written extensively about hummus technique; the hummus masters of Akko and Abu Ghosh in Israel, and the great hummus restaurants of Beirut, all share the same fundamental approach: maximum tahini, minimum chickpea skin, very hot chickpeas blended cold with cold tahini to form an emulsion. This recipe follows that approach.

Ingredients

Main

250 g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water with 1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking soda (for cooking water)
130 g good-quality tahini (well-stirred)
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (approximately 1 large lemon)
1 clove garlic, crushed to a paste with salt

Seasoning

1 tsp flaked sea salt

Liquid

3 tbsp ice-cold water (to adjust consistency)

Serving

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for serving
0.5 tsp sweet paprika or sumac, for serving
1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for serving

Method

Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas. Place in a large pot, cover with plenty of fresh cold water, and add 1 tsp baking soda. Bring to the boil over high heat, skim the foam thoroughly, reduce to a vigorous simmer. Cook for 60–90 minutes until the chickpeas are completely tender: they should crush completely between finger and thumb with zero resistance. Do not salt the cooking water.
While the chickpeas are still hot, skim off and discard any skins that have floated to the surface. Reserve a cup of the hot cooking liquid. Set aside a few whole chickpeas for garnish.
In a food processor, blend the tahini, lemon juice, crushed garlic, and salt for 90 seconds before adding the chickpeas: this preliminary blending aerates the tahini and gives it a lighter colour and texture.
Add the hot drained chickpeas to the processor. Blend on high for 3–4 minutes, scraping down the sides, until very smooth. Add cold water (or reserved cooking liquid) a tablespoon at a time to reach a consistency slightly looser than you want to serve: it will thicken as it cools.
Taste and adjust: more lemon for brightness, more tahini for depth, more salt as needed. Transfer to a wide, shallow bowl. Using the back of a spoon, create a wide well in the centre. Pool olive oil in the well, scatter paprika or sumac, whole chickpeas, and fresh parsley. Serve at room temperature with flatbread.

Notes

Tahini quality determines hummus quality more than any other single factor. The best tahini for hummus is made from hulled, lightly roasted sesame seeds, has a pourable consistency (not solid), a pale ivory colour, and a mild, nutty flavour without bitterness. Lebanese and Israeli brands (Al Yaman, Har Bracha, Soom) consistently outperform supermarket brands in all these respects. The hummus will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving and loosen with a little olive oil. Never serve hummus cold.

The Gastrographer

Name: Hummus bi Tahini
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Levant
Ingredients: 250 g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water with 1 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp baking soda (for cooking water); 130 g good-quality tahini (well-stirred); 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (approximately 1 large lemon); 1 clove garlic, crushed to a paste with salt; 1 tsp flaked sea salt; 3 tbsp ice-cold water (to adjust consistency); 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for serving; 0.5 tsp sweet paprika or sumac, for serving; 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for serving

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control