How to Make Really Good Hummus

And a few thoughts on current events

Hi all,

What has transpired over the last few weeks has knocked me for a loop, especially because I was recently in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and I have friends and family in the region (and elsewhere) who are Israeli and Palestinian. It’s hard to stay out of the fray, but sharing things on social media these days can be overwhelming and it’s not necessarily the place to have a discussion, nor am I the person to lead a discussion on world affairs, which often evolve into arguments, which I’m not sure accomplish anyone’s objectives. Nor am I the person to lead a discussion on world affairs, as journalist Katie Couric has been doing.

When you write online, you cast a broad net, and after 24 years, you get used to people telling you what to do, what to say, and how to feel. I lost most of my friends, neighbors, partners, roommates, and several coworkers during the AIDS epidemic when our leaders were literally laughing and making jokes about it. So I don’t need anyone telling me how to feel, thanks. But I do know that leaders should lead for the good of the people, which doesn’t seem to be happening in a lot of places.

I tend to get my news from newspapers, but many voices spoke on social media, some very eloquently, especially Sami Tamimi, Annie Lennox, Barbra Streisand, Dan Lepard, and Yotam Ottolenghi. They’ve done a better job of saying how I feel and I echo their sentiments.

The world is now giving us what may be the ultimate stress test to see if we can possibly hold things together. As the news cycle reports related incidents in the United States and France, I’ve been trying to gather my thoughts for my November newsletter, but I’ve had two surgeries in the last few weeks, which took a lot of my strength to recover from, as well as a steady stream of visitors, as well as inquiries from readers who are asking me if it’s safe to travel to France and asking if they’re going to get bedbugs in Paris. (Believe it or not, those take a long time to answer. And if I could predict what would happen in the future, I’d be buying lottery tickets.)

That said, I thought it was a good time to talk about hummus, which is something that brings people together. At least at the table. - David

[Updated to add a link to this article on coping with vicarious trauma, which isn’t comparable to being physically in the midst of it all, but can have mental health implications.]

The first time I made hummus was in the 1980s. I was working in a vegetarian restaurant and the grain-heavy (actually, pulse-heavy) spread was a good substitute for people either used to eating meat or trying to avoid it: We were in a college town, and I still remember the grim faces of visiting parents whose kids made them dine in a vegetarian restaurant with servers in Birkenstocks and drawstring pants…who may have been a little stoned.

Incongruously, we made it in a meat grinder, which we only used for grinding the chickpeas that we used for hummus. When finished, the bumpy spread was smeared over slices of hearty, homemade whole-wheat bread and topped with alfalfa sprouts, which, as Pee-wee Herman used to say, “…taste like hair!”

It tasted fine to me at the time, but nowadays I agree with the late Pee-wee, and I’ve upgraded my hummus so it’s completely smooth; a meat grinder just doesn’t cut it correctly, so to speak. It’s taken me 40 years to “get” hummus. And I’m here to repent for my sins. In case any of those leaders I alluded to above are reading this…here’s proof that it’s never too late to atone.

Good cooking starts with good ingredients. The two main ingredients in hummus are tahini and chickpeas. Fortunately, with the rise of interest in Arabesque and Middle Eastern food, good tahini is much easier to find. There aren’t a lot of other ingredients they can hide behind—technically, hummus does not have onions, spices, or vegetables blended into it—and you can’t make good hummus without good tahini.

TAHINI

If your tahini is just okay, your hummus will be…just okay. I know a jar of $17 or $14 tahini (or €12,50) isn’t budget-friendly. On the other hand, you’re using part of the jar, and tahini keeps well in the refrigerator for at least a year. That said, you can find very good mid-priced tahini in Middle Eastern markets and online, such as Al Yaman, Al Arz (sold by Ottolenghi), Lebanon Valley, and Har Bracha, that cost less than super premium brands.

Some of the tahini brands for sale at Épicerie Sabah in Paris.

The amount of tahini that people like or use in their hummus is sometimes related to their socio-economic status; in wealthier countries, tahini is used lavishly whereas in other places, it’s added judiciously.

Epicurious, The Kitchn, Milk Street, Tasting Table, and Bon Appétit have articles on what they consider to be the best tahinis if you want to take a deeper dive. When in doubt, Al Wadi is a serviceable tahini that’s widely available at a moderate price point, although I prefer the others that I mentioned.

CHICKPEAS

I buy dried chickpeas at my local natural food store. They’re really tasty, and I use them in salads and when serving them whole. But cooking dried chickpeas can be a hit-or-miss operation in Paris, where the water is extremely hard and they can take hours to soften. Yes, I’ve tried baking soda and bottled water, (but nope, I’m not buying a pressure cooker because I’d have to get rid of another machine to get one, and I’d have to choose between my ice cream machine and my espresso machine…and neither one of those is going anywhere) — so nowadays I use jarred chickpeas for hummus.

Although I generally buy jarred chickpeas for hummus these days, I buy good-quality chickpeas when buying them dried.

I’ve found that jarred chickpeas work really well for hummus; the ones we get in Europe* are a slightly smaller variety than the larger, rougher-looking chickpeas, which are typically found in cans in the United States. I’ve also found the smaller chickpeas in jars don’t have as many tough skins on them as the canned ones in the U.S. do, which I used to pick out, but now I don’t bother with anymore.

I find jarred chickpeas in shops that sell Spanish and Middle Eastern products, and find the canned ones in France to be good, although if you live in the U.S., you might want to take a look in the “Imported Foods” aisle at the supermarket to see if you can get the jarred ones or good canned ones.

Whatever jarred or canned chickpeas you use, they benefit from being cooked to the point of being overcooked, for making hummus.

We all like garlic, but it’s a supporting ingredient in hummus. You’re not making aïoli or toum, where garlic is the star ingredient. Good hummus is like a good Caesar Salad (or a good society, for that matter); the elements are in there to support each other, not overwhelm.

I don’t have a fancy power blender, which some people like to use for hummus, so I use my food processor. Mine has a broken part that’s not replacable (so excuse the tied-up handle), but it’s still working, and I’m not giving up on it—yet.

At first, the tahini and warm chickpeas will form a thick paste. It’s a good idea to stop the food processor and scrape down the sides of the work bowl to get everything incorporated.

Once you’ve added the other ingredients, you want to process it as smooth as possible. You may notice some little itty bits in mine, below, which are likely chickpea skins. They don’t bother me and aren’t very present in the finished hummus, but you can pluck them out after you’ve cooked the chickpeas, before you make your hummus. The places where I’ve watched people making hummus in Jerusalem, Beirut, and Tel Aviv, I didn’t see anyone plucking out the skins, nor did I see them doing it when I visited a hummus factory.

I don’t use the word “best” because it’s subjective. But this is our house hummus nowadays. I rank this hummus as “really good”…and hope you like it too.

Hummus

About six to eight servings

Because jars (and cans) of chickpeas vary around the world, I gave measurements in cups and drained weight. If your jar has a little more or a little less chickpeas in it, feel free to add a little more (or less) of the other ingredients. This recipe is also more about a technique than a precise adherence to the quantities, so feel free to adjust. I like to set aside a few whole chickpeas to use as a garnish

If you want to use dried chickpeas, cook them very well. Dried chickpeas double in volume when cooked, so you can use that as a guideline when wondering what quantity to cook.

There are a variety of ways and ingredients to top hummus for serving: seeds, nuts, olive oil, Everything Bagel mix, za’atar, roasted vegetables (such as eggplant, carrots, brussels sprouts, winter squash), smoked paprika, sumac, pomegranate seeds, or additional chickpeas are all fair game, along with a generous drizzle of fruity olive oil.

2 1/2 cups (500g, drained weight) jarred chickpeas (plus their liquid, for cooking)

3/4 cup (200g) good-quality tahini, well-stirred before measuring

1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or flaky sea salt

4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 cup (60ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice

Ice cubes and water

1. Put the chickpeas and their liquid in a medium saucepan. Add a little water if necessary to make sure they’re completely submerged. Cook over medium heat, at a low boil until the chickpeas practically disintegrate when you smoosh one with your fingers. There should be no firmness when you press one.

Optional: Once cooked, if a lot of chickpea skins have floated to the top of the liquid when cooking, give the chickpeas a brisk stir to loosen any other skins, then skim them off and discard them. You can also remove them in the next step if you want your hummus especially smooth.

2. Drain the chickpeas, reserving 1 tablespoon of the liquid. Add the warm chickpeas to the bowl of a food processor along with the tablespoon of cooking liquid, the tahini, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Process the chickpeas and tahini until the mixture is a stiff, relatively smooth paste. Stop the food processor midway and scrape down the sides of the work bowl to make sure everything is getting incorporated.

3. Add the garlic and lemon juice, and continue to process until the mixture is very smooth. Once again, stop the processor and scrape down the sides of the bowl midway through.

4. Put two ice cubes in a measuring cup and fill the cup until the water reaches the 1/2-cup (120ml) mark. With the food processor running, drop the two ice cubes into the feed tube of the food processor, then add the ice water in a slow, steady stream. Continue to process for a few minutes, until the ice cubes are completely melted and the mixture is as smooth as possible. Taste, and add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt if desired. Scrape into a bowl, cover, and let rest for an hour.

Storage: Store the hummus in the refrigerator if not eating it soon after making it. Let it come to room temperature before serving. Hummus will last 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

Hummus

About six to eight servings

Because jars (and cans) of chickpeas vary around the world, I gave measurements in cups and drained weight. If your jar has a little more or a little less chickpeas in it, feel free to add a little more (or less) of the other ingredients. This recipe is also more about a technique than a precise adherence to the quantities, so feel free to adjust. I like to set aside a few whole chickpeas to use as a garnish

If you want to use dried chickpeas, cook them very well. Dried chickpeas double in volume when cooked, so you can use that as a guideline when wondering what quantity to cook.

There are a variety of ways and ingredients to top hummus for serving: seeds, nuts, olive oil, Everything Bagel mix, za’atar, roasted vegetables (such as eggplant, carrots, brussels sprouts, winter squash), smoked paprika, sumac, pomegranate seeds, or additional chickpeas are all fair game, along with a generous drizzle of fruity olive oil.

2 1/2 cups (500g, drained weight) jarred chickpeas (plus their liquid, for cooking)

3/4 cup (200g) good-quality tahini, well-stirred before measuring

1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or flaky sea salt

4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 cup (60ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice

Ice cubes and water

1. Put the chickpeas and their liquid in a medium saucepan. Add a little water if necessary to make sure they’re completely submerged. Cook over medium heat, at a low boil until the chickpeas practically disintegrate when you smoosh one with your fingers. There should be no firmness when you press one.

Optional: Once cooked, if a lot of chickpea skins have floated to the top of the liquid when cooking, give the chickpeas a brisk stir to loosen any other skins, then skim them off and discard them. You can also remove them in the next step if you want your hummus especially smooth.

2. Drain the chickpeas, reserving 1 tablespoon of the liquid. Add the warm chickpeas to the bowl of a food processor along with the tablespoon of cooking liquid, the tahini, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Process the chickpeas and tahini until the mixture is a stiff, relatively smooth paste. Stop the food processor midway and scrape down the sides of the work bowl to make sure everything is getting incorporated.

3. Add the garlic and lemon juice, and continue to process until the mixture is very smooth. Once again, stop the processor and scrape down the sides of the bowl midway through.

4. Put two ice cubes in a measuring cup and fill the cup until the water reaches the 1/2-cup (120ml) mark. With the food processor running, drop the two ice cubes into the feed tube of the food processor, then add the ice water in a slow, steady stream. Continue to process for a few minutes, until the ice cubes are completely melted and the mixture is as smooth as possible. Taste, and add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt if desired. Scrape into a bowl, cover, and let rest for an hour.

Storage: Store the hummus in the refrigerator if not eating it soon after making it. Let it come to room temperature before serving. Hummus will last 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

Hummus Recipe

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Other Meze Recipes

• Labneh

• White Bean Dip

• Tabbouleh

• Baba Ganoush

• Labneh Balls

• Eggplant Jam

• Feta Cucumber Salad

• Eggplant Caviar

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*I read on the Rancho Gordo website that some smaller chickpeas are referred to as Ceci Piccoli in Italy. They note that they are quick-cooking and “…have more skin, which is thin,” while an Italian website says something a little different, that “…they need at least 12 hours of soaking and long cooking times.”

Dried chickpeas can be old and stale, whether they’re sold in bags or in bulk, which makes them harder to cook. Rancho Gordo sells very good quality dried chickpeas, if you want to go that route. The ones I buy are from places that have a quick turnover so the stock is replenished regularly.

Normally it’s best not to buy dried beans and pulses from open bins, since they deteriorate faster, but the ones shown are from Miyam, a shop in Paris that encourages less-packaging and they have a high turnover of products. The shelf life of dried beans and pulses is about one year.

This French website shows the difference between some of the different types of dried chickpeas and you can see how different the ones on the bottom left are (the smaller ones) from the larger ones in the middle.