Home-made hummus

Intro:
Not everywhere you can easily find good, fresh, tasty hummus with no additives in the stores, so making your own at home is a good alternative and it does not take much time with a little bit of advanced planning! Hummus is a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine, it is a dip made with chickpeas and sesame paste. Its creamy texture and mild taste makes it palatable to almost everyone, including children that love to eat it with pita bread. Hummus is rich in nutrients, fiber and plant-based protein. It makes you feel satisfied and keeps your tummy full for a while. Hummus is knows for promoting heart health, aiding in weight management and supporting digesting health. This recipe calls for whole raw chickpeas which need to be soaked overnight. If you do not have the time or you do not have raw chickpeas you can substitute them with canned chickpeas (this will cut the preparation time considerably). The taste will be slightly different and not as fresh but it will still be a healthy recipe.

Preparation time: Overnight + 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour for chickpeas + 5 minutes blending
Portions: 10-12

Ingredients:
1 cup of raw chickpeas
1/2 cup of tahini (sesame paste)
3 large garlic cloves
1 lemon, seeds removed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt, pepper cumin and paprika powder to taste


Procedure:
1. The night before, place 1 cup of chickpeas in a bowl, cover with water at least by an inch and let soak overnight.
2. In the morning, rinse the chickpeas, place them in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 50 minutes to an hour (check if they are done after 50 minutes). Also place the garlic cloves in a small bowl and let soak in the juice of half a lemon for about 30 minutes.
3. When the chickpeas are ready, drain them (keep 1/2 cup of cooking water) and rinse them again with cool water. Transfer to a food processor or a mixer. Add tahini, garlic with lemon juice, extra juice from the other half of the lemon and 2 tablespoons of cooking water.
4. Mix on high until a paste forms. Add some salt, pepper, cumin and olive oil. Mix again gently. Taste the hummus and if necessary add some salt or lemon juice or cooking water for thinner consistency. Sprinkle some extra cumin and paprika powder and a few drops of olive oil on top and serve right away or store in the refrigerator (see notes).

Notes:
Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator with a thin layer of olive oil. It will keep fresh for at least 10 days. Use it as a dip with pita bread, vegetable sticks (cucumber, carrots, celery, etc.), as a side for salads, spread for sandwiches and wraps.