I have a love–hate relationship with hummus.

The word “hummus” is Arabic for chickpea; the actual name for the creamy dip most know and love is “hummus bi tahini” which translates to “chickpeas with tahini” – a traditionally Middle Eastern/Levantine way of describing foods, by their ingredients. When my mom came to the US from Syria in 1980, many people barely knew what hummus was, and you definitely could not buy it in a supermarket. It wasn’t until the late ‘80s that the infamous Sabra (and its brilliant marketing tactics with Pepsi Co.) took over the country with chickpea dip.

Now hummus is considered a staple in the American diet – present on cheese platters, at bbqs, and in lunch boxes – almost to the point that people think of it as an American food rather than a Middle Eastern food, and yet another example of how ethnic foods become “trendy” once they enter the mainstream. Though sometimes people will remember its origins; oh how many times after I tell someone I’m Middle Eastern, I’m met back with “Oh! I looooooove hummus!”

But with all of that said, I do love hummus, especially when it’s made right and with a LOT of tahini. Plus its widespread availability has made my life that much easier to get my fix at any supermarket or bodega. So I leave you with this hummus recipe, equipped with tips on how to make it light & airy (ice cubes!) and super creamy (baking soda + extra tahini + concentrated lemon juice!). And then when you eat it you can say, “mmm, this is the best hummus bi tahini I’ve ever had!,” Arabic accent for extra umph. :)

Shoutout to Noor Murad @noorishbynoor & Adeena Sussman @adeenasussman for the hummus tips!

INGREDIENTS

1 16 oz./1 lb. bag dried chickpeas

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 cup tahini

2 tbsp. lemon juice*

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp. salt

2-3 ice cubes (yes, ice cubes)

*preferably lemon juice from concentrate; fresh lemon juice has varying acidity which can break the hummus, making it less creamy

DIRECTIONS

Make the chickpeas: Add the chickpeas to a large bowl and cover completely with at least three inches of water above them. Soak them at least 8 hours, or overnight. The beans will absorb most of the water and double in size.

Drain chickpeas and add to a large pot; cover with two inches of fresh water. Add in ground cumin, coriander, and baking soda, and bring pot to boil over medium-high heat, skimming any foam that rises to the top (these are impurities from the beans and are totally natural!). Reduce heat and simmer for 35-60 minutes until chickpeas are tender and their skins have started to peel away from them (this depends on how fresh your beans are and how long you soaked them for).

Drain chickpeas, but reserve cumin-chickpea water (optional: reserve 1/2 cup chickpeas for topping). Add warm chickpeas to a blender or food processor, with garlic, tahini, lemon juice, salt, and ice cubes. The ice cubes are key; they help whip the chickpeas into a light, fluffy texture. Blend, and then add in reserved chickpea water, 1/4 cup at a time, until the hummus is creamy and smooth (I typically add in 3/4 cup in total).

To serve, dollop hummus in the center of a large plate, and, using the back of a spoon, press the hummus down and outwards to create a circular well in the middle. Top with extra chickpeas, za’atar, olive oil, roasted veggies…whatever you like!

store: in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

diet: vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, diary-free

eat it with: labneh flatbread, or top with jammy egg, tahini, and za’atar for a breakfast hummus bowl.