#hummous

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (100g) dried chickpeas (makes 1 1/4 cup cooked)

4 cloves of garlic, crushed and peeled, divided

1/2 yellow or white onion (optional)

Turkish or California bay leaf (optional)

1/4 cup (60g) tahina / tahini

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp lemon juice (1/2 lemon), or to taste

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground, or 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Around 1/4 cup water, as needed

Instructions:

1. Wash chickpeas and pick them over for debris. Soak chickpeas overnight in enough fresh water to cover by a couple inches. (To quick soak, place chickpeas in a pot with a few inches water, bring to a boil, remove from heat, and soak for an hour.)

2. Drain soaking liquid. Boil with two cloves of garlic, half an onion, a bay leaf, and a pinch of baking soda in fresh water for 1-2 hours until tender. The baking soda should make the chickpeas more tender and much easier to peel.

3. Drain chickpeas and rub them gently between kitchen towels to remove their peels. This will make your hummous much smoother and creamier.

[ID: A layer of chickpeas on a dish towel; the skins of many of them have been shed. End ID]

4. Grind remaining two cloves of garlic and salt with a mortar and pestle. Add chickpeas little at a time and grind to form a paste. Add tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and cumin and mix. Add enough water to form a smooth paste. A mortar and pestle, which crushes rather than slicing, produces a creamier texture and requires the addition of less oil and water to reach the desired consistency.

[ID: Chickpea paste in a mortar. End ID]

You may also grind garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle, then add the resulting paste to the rest of ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth; or add all ingredients to a blender and food processor and process until smooth. You may need to add a bit more olive oil or water to create a smooth mixture.