Slightly Garlicky Chickpea Hummus Dip Recipe

Find Foodie Heaven: How To Make Blissfully Satisfying Hummus Dip

This chickpea hummus recipe is so good, you'll want to eat hummus every day, as a filling for sandwiches or wraps, on crackers, as a dip, thinned to make a sauce or salad dressing, by the spoonful straight out of the container.

A stick blender works best for hummus, but you could also use a regular blender, food processor, food mill, or potato masher to make hummus - anything to pulverize the beans.

Bean cookng directions are included, but canned beans will do - drain and rinse, and substitute water for the liquid.

3 - 4 cups, 12 - 16 Servings: This hummus recipe keeps, tightly sealed, in the fridge for a week - not that it usually lasts that long!

Hummus Ingredients:

Hint: the fresher the ingredients, the better the hummus!

• 2 - 3 cups cooked and drained garbanzo beans (*directions below), or canned beans drained and rinsed
• 3 - 6 Tbsp bean cooking liquid or water - how much liquid you need depends on the amount of moisture in the beans
• 1/4 - 1/2 c. unroasted sesame tahini
• 1 - 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
• 2 - 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 or more cloves fresh garlic, peeled, stem removed, minced OR 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• Optional: 1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger, or 1/2 tsp dried
• Optional: 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced, OR a pinch of dried cayenne powder
• 1 - 2 tsp ground cumin seed
• Optional: 1 - 2 tsp ground coriander seed
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper or to taste

Hummus Directions:

1. Rinse and drain the beans in a wire colander. Reserve the cooking liquid if you cooked your own beans
2. Put the beans, salt & pepper, cayenne and 3 Tbsp bean liquid or water in a deep 4 qt pitcher or other container, or in the blender jar if you're using one
3. Heat the chopped fresh garlic (+ ginger or jalapeno if using), in the olive oil until soft & lightly roasted
4. Add the dry spices to the oil and heat for five minutes
5. Add the hot oil & spices to the beans
6. Rinse the pan with the lemon or lime juice and add it to the beans
7. Add the salt and pepper
8. Making hummus in a blender: Blend everything EXCEPT THE TAHINI. Use the pulse setting, alternately pulsing and poking until smoothly blended. Add a little extra liquid, 1 Tbsp at a time, if the mixture is too thick to blend easily. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the mixture into a bowl, and thoroughly mix in the tahini
9. Making hummus with a blender stick: Add all the ingredients to your deep container, and pump the blender stick up and down until it's smooth - a noisy, but fulfilling experience
10. Adjust seasonings to taste

How To Cook Garbanzo Beans:

1. Note: This recipe makes enough beans for a second batch, or to freeze, or to make soup or tabouleh
2. Using a pressure cooker greatly reduces cooking time, but don't omit the soaking!
3. Soak 1 c. of garbanzo beans 4 - 8 hours.
4. Quick Soak: Bring the beans and soaking water to a boil, turn off the heat, cover, and soak for one or two hours
5. Drain & rinse the soaked beans, cover with cold water to cover & bring to a boil
6. Boil ten minutes & skim the foam
7. Cover & simmer the beans for 1 - 2 hours, until they're tender (can be mashed between thumb & finger)
8. More bean cooking tips and directions