Hello .. Happy Friday :D
Today I am sharing my quickie recipe for homemade hummus that uses things you might actually have in your home right now. To backtrack a bit, usual recipes for this delicious pureed chickpea snack include tahini, a sesame seed paste that’s expensive and not that easy to find, at least here in Toronto. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve bought a jar of it, used a few spoonfuls to make hummus and then later found that same jar in the back of the fridge, well past its due date. “No more”, I said! So, I came up with a hummus recipe that tastes very similar to the tahini version but uses ingredients I always have on hand, namely peanut butter and sesame oil. So, this is an alternative “untraditional” version of hummus but it tastes very much like the real thing.
Aside: if you don’t always stock sesame oil in your kitchen, I would recommend getting some because it is so tasty in many different recipes. Get the kind that is pure sesame oil (not the type that’s mixed with other kinds of oil), and store it in the refrigerator where it will keep for a really long time. It may thicken up when it’s cold but quickly running the bottle under hot tap water will get it flowing again. And, a little goes a very long way. It’s not great for frying, but a teaspoon added to a stir fry before serving adds a lot of flavour. I also use it in soups, bbq sauce and vegetarian chili.
Another thing worth mentioning about this version of hummus is that I used chickpeas that we had boiled at home (in the pressure cooker) and had in the freezer. But canned ones that have been rinsed and drained work perfectly well, too.
Now, on with the recipe!
To make Loulou’s Hummus (using a food processor)
1 1/2 cup (more or less) cooked dry chickpeas, or canned and drained ones
1 large clove of garlic
3 tablespoons peanut butter, smooth or crunchy.
1 tablespoon sesame seed oil (Pure, not blended)
2 tablespoons (or about 1/2 a lemon’s worth) of fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to your liking)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder and 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (both optional)
In the bowl of your food processor, mince the clove of garlic. Add all other ingredients and process until smooth. Mix in a tablespoon or so of water if it’s too dry.
I decorated mine with brown sesame seeds and parsley. Serve with pita bread or raw vegetables. Makes a little over a cup.
Thanks for visiting. Hope you’re in for the exact kind of week-end you enjoy the most!
xo loulou
