Our cooking class made hummus dip and paired it with slices of cucumber. Overall, the hummus recipe went well, we got lots of positive feedback from the staff and students of Village. However, we did not incorporate our own tahini into the hummus and used store bought tahini because we did not have access to sesame seeds in bulk. We would’ve preferred to make our own tahini, but the recipe still went well. It’s the perfect easy and healthy recipe for even beginner chefs.

YOU WILL NEED

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas or 1 1/2 cups (250 grams) cooked chickpeas 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)

1/4 cup (60 ml) well-stirred tahini, see our homemade tahini recipe

1 small garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt to taste

2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) water

Dash ground paprika, for serving

DIRECTIONS

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini and lemon juice and process for 1 minute, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process for 30 seconds more. This extra time helps “whip” or “cream” the tahini, making the hummus smooth and creamy.

Add the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice. Process for 30 seconds, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process another 30 seconds or until well blended.

Open, drain, and rinse the chickpeas. Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl, then add remaining chickpeas and process until thick and quite smooth; 1 to 2 minutes.

Most likely the hummus will be too thick or still have tiny bits of chickpea. To fix this, with the food processor turned on, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until you reach the perfect consistency. Taste for salt and adjust as needed. Serve hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and dash of paprika. Store homemade hummus in an airtight container and refrigerate up to one week.

Tahini

YOU WILL NEED

1 cup (5 ounces or 140 grams) sesame seeds, we prefer hulled

3 to 4 tablespoons neutral flavored oil such as grape seed, canola or a light olive oil Pinch of salt, optional

DIRECTIONS

 TOAST SESAME SEEDS

Add sesame seeds to a wide, dry saucepan over medium-low heat and toast, stirring constantly until the seeds become fragrant and very lightly colored (not brown), 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer toasted seeds to a baking sheet or large plate and cool completely. (Careful here, sesame seeds can burn quickly).

o MAKE TAHINI

Add sesame seeds to the bowl of a food processor then process until a crumbly paste forms, about 1 minute. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil then process for 2 to 3 minutes more, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the food processor a couple times.

Check the tahini’s consistency. It should be smooth, not gritty and should be pourable. You may need to process for another minute or add the additional tablespoon of oil. Taste the tahini for seasoning then add salt to taste. Process 5 to 10 seconds to mix it in.

 TO STORE

Store tahini covered in the refrigerator for one month. You may notice it separates over time, like a natural peanut butter would. If this happens, give the tahini a good stir before using.

Recipe from

http://www.inspiredtaste.net/15938/easy-and-smooth-hummus-recipe/

We cut up some cucumbers and ate the hummus with those cucumber slices and store bought pita chips. We hope you try this recipe and enjoy!