How To Make Quick and Easy Hummus

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Wow, it’s been a crazy start to the week and it’s only Monday evening! Reading the papers each day seems to bring more alarming and alarmist stories from across the globe, however life here in Munich seems to be carrying on much as usual so far. I did notice the other day when I was at my local supermarket that the shelves had been stripped of pasta, rice and tinned fruit and veg, but there were no fistfights over loo roll! (I’m looking at you Australia).

I love a well-stocked pantry and always have tins and bags of things tucked away, not out of any doomsday preparedness, but because I like to have things to hand when the mood strikes me for a particular meal.

It occurred to me while looking at the bare supermarket shelves that a lot of people may have bought tins of things that they don’t know how to turn into delicious food! So for the next couple of weeks, I’ll be featuring a few recipes that can be made largely with store cupboard essentials, tinned goods, lentils, pulses and similar. Good idea? Let me know what you think in the comments below.

I’m starting with a simple one this week, but it’s the ultimate food to whip up, whether a group of friends have suddenly arrived for unannounced drinks, to pad out a BBQ dinner, or for taking to the office as a healthy snack along with some sliced veg. I’m talking Hummus, and this quick and easy recipe is streets ahead of the kind you get in a tub from the chiller in the supermarket.

The best thing about making your own easy hummus is that you know exactly what goes in it so you can adjust it to your tastes and avoid strange E numbers and odd preservatives, and best of all, it is much more economical than buying tiny tubs. Once you see how easy it is you’ll never buy the expensive stuff again. Take care of yourselves out there, and happy cooking! x J.

Let me know if you try this recipe in the comments below, or using the hashtag #daysofjay on Instagram. Happy cooking!

Quick and Easy Hummus

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Never again buy those expensive tubs of hummus in the supermarket! This recipe for Quick and Easy Hummus is made in seconds from store cupboard ingredients. Fluffy, tangy, tasty.

Ingredients

400 g tin of chickpeas, drained and liquid reserved
2-3 Tbsp sesame seeds
Juice of 1 lemon ca. 40-50ml
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp sea salt
1-2 Tbsp good quality olive oil

optional:

Black sesame seeds, pul biber, sumac for decoration

Instructions

Reserve one tablespoon of chickpeas for decoration, then place the remaining chickpeas, sesame seeds, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and salt in the bowl of a food processor with the blade attachment fitted and process to a rough paste.
Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add 50ml of the reserved chickpea liquid and process 2-3 minutes until smooth, scraping down the sides if necessary. You can add up to 50 ml more chickpea liquid if necessary until the desired consistency is reached.
Taste the hummus and adjust the salt and lemon juice to taste, then spread over a small plate with the back of a spoon, creating a few small dips to hold the olive oil.
Spoon over the remaining chickpeas, then carefully drizzle over the olive oil to create some small lakes of oil on the hummus. Sprinkle over the black sesame seeds, pul biber and sumac (if using) and serve with chopped vegetables, Crunchy Toasted Flatbreads (see bonus recipe) olives and other nibbles.

Notes

BONUS RECIPE: Crunchy Toasted Flatbreads

2 thin pita or flatbreads
1 egg white, beaten with 1 Tbsp water
Sesame, poppy or linseed, spread on a plate

Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas 6 and line a tray with baking paper.

Cut the pita breads into bite-sized triangles, then brush with egg white on one side only. Dip each flatbread into the sears, then place on the prepared tray.

Bake in the oven until beginning to brown at the tips, 5-6 minutes only. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the tray for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 449Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 325mgCarbohydrates: 69gFiber: 12gSugar: 18gProtein: 14g

Nutrition information is calculated automatically and isn’t always accurate.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Hummus usually has Tahini, why doesn’t this recipe?

Tahini is simply blended sesame seeds and while I often have sesame seeds at home for bread baking, I seldomly keep tahini in the house. Using this recipe you get the deliciously fresh, nutty taste of sesame without having an extra jar in the back of the fridge or cupboard.

I’m not a fan of garlic! Can I leave it out of the hummus?

Of course! Just leave it out and season to taste.

I like runny/smooth hummus, can I still use this recipe?

Just keep adding chickpea water or iced water to the processor until the hummus is as runny or smooth as you like it. I like it fluffy but firm so it doesn’t make a mess when you dip into it!

Can I make Quick and Easy Hummus in advance?

Yes absolutely, up to a day or two in advance if you keep it in a covered container in the fridge. Add oil just before serving. It is so quick and easy to make however there is usually no need.