Creamy Hummus

Chickpea • Tahini • Lemon — Lebanon

Silky, lemony, tahini-rich — the Levantine way. The order is the recipe: whip the tahini first, and use ice water for the fluff.

Ingredients

• 240 g — Chickpeas, canned, drained (1½ cups cooked)
• 80 g — Tahini, well-stirred (⅓ cup)
• 40 ml — Lemon juice (3 Tbsp)
• 5 g — Garlic (1 small clove)
• 45 ml — Ice water (3 Tbsp)
• 2 g — Ground cumin (½ tsp)
• 6 g — Fine sea salt (1 tsp)
• 30 ml — Extra-virgin olive oil, to serve (2 Tbsp)
• 2 g — Paprika + whole chickpeas, to garnish

Step-by-Step Method

1. Whip the tahini first. Tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt and ice water blended 1 full minute until pale and fluffy. This emulsion is why restaurant hummus is lighter than most home versions.
2. Blend the chickpeas long. Chickpeas and cumin in; blend 2–3 minutes, far longer than feels necessary, scraping once. Silky hummus is a patience recipe.
3. Adjust like a Levantine cook. Taste: it should be bright with lemon and rich with tahini before it tastes of chickpea. Thin with ice water a spoon at a time.
4. Plate with a swirl. Spread in a shallow bowl with the back of a spoon, olive oil pooled in the swirl, paprika and a few whole chickpeas on top. Warm pita is non-negotiable.

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