Hummus

brand chef of the Poehali restaurant, culinary columnist for Kommersant Weekend

Hummus in Israel and Arab countries is called chickpeas. Gorbanzo, chickpeas, chikpis, nakhot, shish - that's all about him. The fact is that chickpea flour hummus is one of the oldest foods on earth and a basic element in the diet of many Middle Eastern peoples. Israel, Lebanon and Palestine bitterly dispute the right to be called his homeland. But it’s better to throw peas at each other than bullets. Director Trevor Graham, whose film "Make Hummus Not War" caused a stir at the Berlin festival in 2012, offers his solution to the long-standing Middle East crisis: a common favorite food should become a common destiny, and a simple hummus made from chickpea flour will help people keep their sanity. After all, when pronouncing the English chickpeas, you always hear peace - peace.

The peasants of medieval Spain believed that hearty gorbanzo stews could replace meat. In French Provence, legendary socca flatbreads are still baked from chickpea flour and fried chickpea polenta sticks - panissa - are prepared. In India, since ancient times, these peas have been the basis of vegetarian cuisine. To what does he owe such popularity? Firstly, together with lentils, chickpeas share first place in terms of the amount of protein (among plant foods, naturally), and with green vegetables - in terms of the amount of fiber. Secondly, it contains incredibly healthy indigestible starch, which promotes good digestion and cleanses the body of toxins. Like all legumes, chickpeas help keep diabetes under control and reduce the risk of both heart disease and colorectal cancer. In addition, hummus is a gluten-free product, which is also important. One serving of boiled chickpeas contains only 170 calories, but such a serving fills you up for a long time.

Hummus spread is one of the most common spreads in the world. This wonderful pasta can be both an appetizer and a separate independent dish. In Moscow, too, there is hummus, and everywhere - from French to Uzbek restaurants. And, of course, it is sold in supermarkets. I've tried store-bought hummus many times - I didn't like any of it, it was all vinegar. Believe me, you only need to cook it yourself once and you will understand that it is not at all difficult, but incredibly tasty. True, hummus contains one irreplaceable ingredient, which is not always easy to buy - tahini (sesame seed paste). Making it at home is as easy as shelling pears: dry 100 grams of sesame seeds in the oven, then pour it into a blender and grind, gradually adding olive oil (half a glass will be just right).

In Russia, hummus is still considered an exotic dish, although in some eastern countries it is one of the most popular and familiar snacks. In Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, Syria, hummus is served as a sauce with pita bread or pita bread; in other countries it is eaten with bread or chips. This snack has become very popular among vegetarians because it is very nutritious and contains a large amount of gluten.

What is hummus and how is it useful?

Hummus is a traditional Middle Eastern snack made with chickpeas (a type of pea) and tahini (sesame paste). The sauce has a very delicate, plastic consistency. Often, due to the addition of various seasonings, it has a spicy, sweetish taste. What distinguishes the dish from ordinary chickpea puree is the tahini mentioned above and a special combination of spices. Let's look at the benefits and harms of hummus:

The benefit of the sauce lies in its composition - it does not contain a drop of cholesterol. Peas contain a huge amount of vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids, and fiber. Pasta is very nutritious and belongs to the category of absolutely healthy food. Vegetarians can consume hummus as it is rich in iron and protein, which helps maintain the balance of essential micronutrients in the body. Chickpea flour, when consumed regularly, reduces the likelihood of developing colorectal cancer and diabetes.
There are some contraindications to using the sauce. People who are on a diet and want to lose weight should not abuse the dish, since its excessive consumption often leads to disruption of metabolic processes. For some people, such food provokes flatulence, while others have an individual intolerance to the components of hummus.

What is hummus made from - the composition of the dish

Traditional hummus ingredients include chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, black pepper, olive oil, and garlic. However, in some countries where hummus is considered a national dish, olive oil is not considered a mandatory ingredient. Not everyone likes this cooking option, because if you don’t add oil to the pasta to achieve the desired consistency, you will have to increase the amount of tahini several times, which jeopardizes the edibility of the dish.

Some recipes advise leaving a small amount of the water in which the peas were boiled, then you will be able to make a tender hummus, but it will not be oily, but rather watery. Palestinian and Israeli housewives still recommend using olive oil, and adding a lot of it to the dish, sparingly - about half a glass per pot of prepared hummus.

Recipes for making hummus at home with photos

Hummus can be served as an independent snack along with crackers, bread or vegetables cut into thin strips. It is often served as a hearty addition to a light vegetable salad. How to make hummus at home? This can be done using canned or frozen foods, but the pasta will taste better if prepared using fresh ingredients.

Classic chickpea hummus recipe

For 500 g of finished hummus you will need:

5 tablespoons of tahina.
A glass of dry chickpeas.
2 tablespoons olive oil.
Juice of 1/2 lemon.
Seasonings (cumin, coriander, cumin, chili pepper, asafoetida), salt.

How to make hummus at home:

Overnight, soak the peas in 2 liters of water, adding a teaspoon of soda (it is needed to remove components that cause flatulence). During this time, the peas should swell, approximately doubling in size.
Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly under running water, using a colander for convenience.
Place the pan with peas on the fire, fill it with 2 liters of water and leave until it boils. An alternative way is to cook chickpeas in a slow cooker.
Boil 2 liters of water separately, since the liquid in which the peas boil will need to be drained. After boiling, change the broth to clean water.
Cook the chickpeas until the shell of the peas begins to peel off. This takes from 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the grain chosen. When the chickpeas are ready, drain the liquid into a separate bowl, you will need it later. Give the peas time to cool and start preparing the pasta.
Place all of the above ingredients in a blender and add half a glass of the remaining broth. After turning on the device, wait until the dish acquires a uniform consistency, similar to thick sour cream. If the paste turns out to be very thick, add a little more liquid, then mix the dish again using a blender.
Place the resulting sauce in the refrigerator for at least an hour to let it set. After this, the hummus will be ready to eat. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Preparation with peas and sesame flour

A nutritious and tasty dish like hummus can be prepared using peas and sesame flour. An easy recipe is not the only advantage of this cooking variation. The excellent taste of the snack is considered the main charm of hummus. It not only quickly satisfies hunger, but also benefits the body. If you haven't decided how to make hummus yet, we recommend using the following recipe.

Ingredients:

cups sesame flour.
1.5 cups chickpeas.
3 tablespoons lemon juice.
Olive oil.
3-4 cloves of garlic.
Salt, ground red pepper, other spices to taste.

Soak the chickpeas in water overnight.
In the morning, change the water, salt the chickpeas and cook over low heat until they soften. This will take a couple of hours.
Drain the broth and mash the peas until pureed.
Peel the garlic cloves and pass them through a press.
Sesame seeds should be crushed using a coffee grinder or blender. Mix the resulting powder thoroughly with pea puree, where you first add salt and pepper.
Add lemon juice and olive oil to hummus and mix again. After this, beat the mixture thoroughly and the dish will be ready.

How to make bean hummus with lemon juice

You will need:

Can of canned dark beans.
Garlic (1 clove).
Lemon juice – 2 tablespoons.
Salt, cumin, tahini, paprika and ground red pepper.
Olives and cashew nuts (optional).

Cooking process:

Using a food processor, puree the garlic until it becomes a paste consistency.
Add beans to the bowl and a couple of tablespoons of the marinade remaining in the jar, a pinch of salt, and a teaspoon of all the listed seasonings, except red pepper (1/8 spoon). Blend everything until smooth.
Place the hummus on a plate and garnish with olives, nuts and paprika.

Lentil recipe

Making hummus with lentils and beets requires a significant amount of prep time. For example, chickpeas need to be soaked for 10-12 hours, and beets should be boiled or baked. However, the result is worth the effort. Hummus with lentils has a delicate, piquant taste, and beets add zest to the dish. The cooking process takes about 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

cups red lentils.
a glass of chickpeas.
A couple of cloves of garlic.
2 beets.
2-3 tbsp. tahini.
1 tbsp. sesame
Ground black pepper, paprika, cumin, sesame oil.

How to make hummus with lentils and beets:

Wash the beets thoroughly, rub them with olive oil and wrap them in foil. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, place the beets on a baking sheet and bake until soft (about an hour). Remove the beets and let them cool.
Rinse the peas that have been pre-soaked overnight under running water. Boil the chickpeas in salted water, and add the lentils to the pan 10 minutes before they are ready. Drain the liquid into a separate container, it will be useful later.
Heat a frying pan, add a little oil and fry the garlic, passed through a press, until golden brown.
Using a blender, grind peas, beets, lentils, and tahini. Add spices to the mixture and stir again. If the hummus has too thick a consistency, add the broth that remained after boiling the peas and beat the mixture again.
Place the dish in a deep bowl, use a spoon to make a well in the center of the pasta, pour in olive oil (or tangerine sauce), lightly drizzle the hummus with sesame oil, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with bread, carrot sticks or warmed pita bread.

Find out other recipes too.

How and with what to eat the Jewish dish hummus

Traditionally, hummus is served with pita bread. The finished dish is laid out on a plate and decorated with nuts, herbs, lemon slices, and olives. Hummus is often used as a sandwich spread for bread, then decorated with avocado. Jewish sauce is served both chilled and hot, but a mandatory addition to the dish is pita bread or fresh pita bread, however, hummus is also very tasty with fresh bread or crackers.

Calorie content and nutritional value of the dish

It is recommended to start a meal with hummus because it can easily prevent overeating. Thanks to the large amount of fiber contained in chickpeas, a person quickly feels full. For those who are on a diet, the best option would be to prepare hummus without tahini - this way the paste remains low-calorie without losing its valuable properties. The energy value of the dish is:

Fat – 19.7 g
Proteins – 9.6 g.
Carbohydrates – 21 g.

Video: making chickpea hummus at home

The oriental dish has become very popular in many countries around the world. There are many options for preparing it, but the required ingredients remain: tahini, peas (chickpeas), lemon juice, garlic, olive oil. Pasta goes perfectly with bread, raw vegetables, chips, crackers, mushrooms, and meat. Whatever snack option you choose, this unusual delicacy is sure to win your heart. With the help of the video, you will learn how easy it is to prepare chickpea paste at home.

and falafel, charoset and challah - these names are pure poetry, and the food itself, according to the old joke, is the national sport of the Israelis.

In the blessed country they know what the taste of life and the taste of real food are. However, for some, many Jewish dishes seem strange at first. But the process of addiction is very fast, so much so that a pleasant addiction is formed. Try it yourself!

Chickpea hummus recipe with garlic, cilantro, cumin, sesame and paprika.

What do you need:

400 g chickpeas
1 lemon
6–7 tbsp. spoons of olive oil
1 clove of garlic
1/2 tbsp. spoons of cilantro
1/2 tbsp. spoons of cumin
1/2 tbsp. spoons of paprika
2 tbsp. spoons of sesame

How to make hummus:

Soak the chickpeas, then cook until tender.
Place chickpeas in a blender adding all ingredients. Turn into a homogeneous mass. Let it brew.
Hummus is ready.

Bon appetit!

Falafel

Recipe for chickpea falafel with coriander, cumin and parsley.

What do you need:

500 g chickpeas
1 carrot
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tbsp. spoons of coriander
1/2 tbsp. spoons of cumin
1 tbsp. spoon of chopped parsley
Olive oil to taste
Salt, black pepper to taste

How to cook falafel:

Peel the carrots and onions and cut into large pieces. Boil chickpeas until tender. Mix all ingredients in a blender.
Use your hands to form identical meatballs from the resulting mass. Fry them in a frying pan with oil on both sides until golden brown.
Falafel is ready.

Bon appetit!

Eggplant puree "Hatelim"

Recipe for Hatselim eggplant puree with garlic.

What do you need:

3 eggplants
2–3 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt, black pepper to taste

How to prepare Hatselim eggplant puree:

Wash the eggplants and bake in the oven until cooked. Cool slightly.
Peel the eggplants, cut them, place in a blender and puree. Add a little sugar, salt and pepper.
Hatselim eggplant puree is ready.

Bon appetit!

Matzo

Homemade matzah recipe.

What do you need:

1/2 kg flour
250 ml water

How to cook matzo:

Sift flour through a sieve. Carefully pour water into it. Mix well.
Roll out very thin flatbreads. Make frequent pricks with a fork.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 180 degrees.
The matzo is ready.

Bon appetit!

Chocolate matzo pudding

Recipe for dark chocolate and red wine matzo pudding.

What do you need:

1/4 cup dry red wine
50 g dark chocolate
6 pieces of matzo

How to make chocolate matzo pudding:

Melt the chocolate in a water bath.
Mix water and wine. Soak the matzo with half the liquid. Mix the other half with chocolate.
Place pieces of matzo on top of each other, brushing with wine and chocolate mixture.
Chocolate matzo pudding is ready.

Bon appetit!

Apple kugel

Kugel recipe made with egg noodles, cottage cheese, apples, cinnamon and raisins.

What do you need:

350 g egg noodles
100 g butter
2 apples
1 pack of cottage cheese
3 eggs
2 tbsp. spoons of sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tbsp. spoons of raisins
1/2 teaspoon soda
Salt to taste

How to make apple kugel:

Boil the noodles. Melt butter and mix with noodles.
Peel the apples, grate them, add to the noodles. Put cottage cheese, sugar, eggs, raisins, soda and a pinch of salt there. Mix everything. Place in the form.
Bake for 1 hour at 170 degrees.
The apple kugel is ready.

Bon appetit!

Challah

A recipe for fluffy homemade challah.

What do you need:

5 cups flour
5 tbsp. spoons of sugar
2 glasses of water
1 teaspoon yeast
3 eggs
1/2 tbsp. spoons of vegetable oil

How to prepare challah:

Mix yeast, eggs, sugar and vegetable oil. Add flour.
Knead the dough, grease it with oil, cover with a towel and leave for two hours in a warm place.
When the dough has risen, divide it into three parts, decorate each with a snake made from a strip of dough. Leave for another 2 hours.
Bake for 40 minutes at 180 degrees. Do not open the oven immediately, wait 10-15 minutes so that the challah does not sink.
Challah is ready.

Bon appetit!

Prakes

Recipe for cabbage rolls in tomato sauce.

What do you need:

500 g beef
75 g rice
1 egg
1 onion
70 g sugar
1 tbsp. spoon of tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon citric acid
1 tbsp. spoon breadcrumbs
Salt, black pepper to taste

How to prepare prakes:

Blanch the cabbage leaves in boiling water until soft and beat lightly.
Boil the meat, pass through a meat grinder, add boiled rice, chopped onion, salt, pepper, egg.
Wrap the minced meat in cabbage leaves.
Mix crackers with tomato paste, citric acid, sugar. Add some meat broth. Salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls and simmer over low heat for 10–15 minutes.
Prakes is ready.

Bon appetit!

Haroseth

Charoset recipe made with apples, dates, walnuts, almonds, cinnamon and red wine.

What do you need:

1 apple
1 cup dates
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
A pinch of ground black pepper
3 tbsp. spoons of red wine

How to prepare charoset:

Pass all ingredients through a meat grinder and mix. Add wine. Leave for 1-2 hours to soak.
Haroseth is ready.

Bon appetit!

Fennel salad with parsley

Recipe for fennel salad with parsley and pepper.

What do you need:

750 g fennel
100 g parsley
3 tbsp. spoons of olive oil
2 tbsp. spoons of vinegar
A pinch of pepper
Salt to taste

How to make fennel salad with parsley:

Finely chop the fennel heads. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Drizzle with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Fennel salad with parsley is ready.

Bon appetit!

Hummus, the recipe of which may vary depending on the base used and accompanying components, has an original taste, amazing aroma and incomparable piquancy. The appetizer will become indispensable for the Lenten menu, and the everyday table with such a dish will sparkle with new colors.

Hummus - a classic recipe

The classic chickpea paste - hummus, the recipe for which is outlined below, is one of the few that contains a complete list of ingredients used to create the snack since ancient times by the best chefs of the Far East. Other recipe variations require a different list of ingredients, up to a change in the main product, which determines not only the taste and aroma of the food, but also its texture.

Chickpea hummus recipe

Traditional hummus, the homemade recipe for which is complicated by the long preparation and cooking of the necessary chickpeas, can also be made from a product canned in its own juice. You can buy one at any large supermarket. Before use, peas should be peeled from the light outer film. To do this, peas placed in a deep bowl of warm water are lightly rubbed between the palms. The unnecessary husk will float to the surface.

Ingredients:

boiled chickpeas – 360 g;
sesame paste (tahini) – 95 g;
lemon juice – 15 ml;
garlic cloves – 1-2 pcs.;
olive oil – 75 ml;
mint (leaves) – 5 pcs.;
vegetable broth – 195-220 ml;
paprika, pepper, cumin, salt - a pinch each.

Preparation

Initially, grind the peas with half a portion of vegetable broth in a blender with the addition of peeled garlic, mint leaves and all the spices.
Add olive oil (half a portion), sesame paste, lemon juice and broth in the amount necessary to achieve the desired texture.
Before serving, place classic hummus in a bowl, pour over the remaining oil and sprinkle with ground paprika and red pepper.

Beetroot hummus

Beetroot hummus first of all amazes with its incredible bright color. This type of snack does not lag behind the original in taste. On the contrary, the composition is so harmonious that even those who do not consume the original products separately after tasting this dish remain pleasantly confused by the pleasure received. Preparing this delicacy is almost as simple and quick as the previous one, especially if you take ready-made chickpeas.

Ingredients:

beets – 520 g;
chickpeas – 190 g;
sesame paste – 85 g;
lemon juice - to taste;
garlic cloves – 2-3 pcs.;
olive oil – 35 ml;
paprika, coriander, chili, thyme, salt.

Preparation

The beets are boiled or baked until tender and peeled.
Boil soaked chickpeas until soft or simply purchase the required amount of ready-made product canned in its juice.
Grind the chickpeas and beets with garlic in a blender, adding water if necessary.
Combine two types of puree, add lemon juice, oil, sesame paste, all seasonings and beat everything again.

Pea hummus

Traditionally, this delicious oriental appetizer is made from Turkish chickpeas, but even if you replace it with regular cereal, the dish will still be aromatic, piquant and rich. Pea hummus, the recipe for which can be implemented by reading the recommendations below, has a lower cost, since the main product in this case is cheaper than chickpeas, but retains the main palette of flavors. Only the strictest gourmets will notice the substitution.

Ingredients:

split peas – 210 g;
tahini paste – 95 g;
rosemary – 2 pinches;
lemon juice - to taste;
garlic cloves – 2-3 pcs.;
olive oil – 25 ml;
paprika, chili, turmeric, salt.

Preparation

The peas are pre-soaked, washed thoroughly and boiled until soft.
Beat the boiled mass together with peeled garlic, lemon juice and all the spices until smooth.
Add sesame paste and mix the mixture again until smooth.
Before serving, pour oil over the appetizer in a bowl and sprinkle with a mixture of paprika and ground chili.

Bean hummus - recipe

If you're already tired of chickpea hummus, a homemade bean-based snack recipe will allow you to update your menu and add new colors of tastes and aromas to it. Beans, like peas, can be taken canned in their own juice in a jar or soaked in advance and boiled until soft, adding salt at the end. In this case, a sprig of fresh rosemary perfectly complements the taste of legumes, but if you don’t like the taste of this spice, you can do without it.

Ingredients:

beans – 210 g;
tahini – 95 g;
rosemary – 2 pinches;
lemon juice – 15-25 ml;
garlic cloves – 2 pcs.;
olive oil – 25 ml;
paprika, hot pepper, sugar, salt.

Preparation

White beans are soaked in water for a couple of hours, boiled and blended into a paste in a blender along with garlic.
Add sesame puree, rosemary and other ingredients to taste and beat the mass again.

Chickpea flour hummus

If you don’t have time to prepare chickpeas for a long time or simply don’t have a blender in your kitchen arsenal to grind them into a paste, you can make quick hummus from chickpea flour, the recipe for which is presented below. In this case, it is worth considering that the flour is made from a raw product and will need to be boiled with a certain amount of water until the desired texture is achieved.

Ingredients:

chickpea flour – 155 g;
tahini – 70 g;
water – 490-560 ml;
lemon – 85 g;
garlic clove – 1 pc.;
olive oil – 15 ml;
ground paprika – 10 g;
salt.

Preparation

The flour is mixed with two incomplete glasses of purified water, the lumps are ground and the mixture is heated with continuous stirring until it thickens, adding a little more water if necessary.
Transfer the brewed mass to a blender, add a clove of garlic, lemon juice, sesame paste, paprika and salt and beat the mass until smooth.
If you don’t have a blender, you can simply add grated garlic with spices and mix with a mixer.
Finally, add the oil and mix.

What do you eat hummus with?

After reading the recipes, you learned how to make hummus. However, it is also important to serve it correctly, complement it with appropriate accompaniment in order to maximize and highlight the taste of the dish.

The Jewish national dish hummus is in perfect harmony with bread and...
It is very tasty to eat the delicious pasta with chips, crackers, toast or any unsweetened cookies.
By complementing the appetizer in the form of slices, you can enjoy the amazing taste of the dish and not cause harm to your figure.

The classic hummus recipe came from the Middle East and quickly gained popularity in the West. Chickpea paste does not contain animal products, it is rich in protein, easy to prepare, stores well, has a pleasant taste and creamy consistency. In addition, hummus is a fairly simple dish and can be easily combined with almost any additions.

Jewish hummus recipe

Each of these recipes will use already prepared chickpeas. It is prepared simply: first it is soaked for 8-10 hours, and then boiled in fresh water for two hours.

Ingredients:

boiled chickpeas - 545 g;
garlic - 2 cloves;
tahini - 35 g;
lemon juice - 15 ml;
ground cumin - 1/2 teaspoon;
olive oil - 35 ml.

Preparation

An integral companion to boiled chickpeas in a hummus recipe is sesame seed tahini paste. You can prepare tahini yourself by grinding sesame seeds in a coffee grinder, or you can buy it ready-made.

Place the boiled chickpeas into the blender bowl. Follow the peas with the remaining ingredients, not forgetting to puree the garlic cloves first. Beat everything together until the most homogeneous paste is formed, if necessary, you can add water, also do not forget about salt. Ready hummus can be stored in an airtight container for no more than 3 days.

Hummus - a classic recipe

A classic recipe can also be one prepared with the addition of vegetables. The most common root vegetables are carrots and beets. Such additives give the dish not only an interesting color shade, but also a pleasant sweetish taste.

Ingredients:

boiled chickpeas - 210 g;
carrots - 200 g;
garlic - 2 cloves;
tahini - 10 g;
lemon juice - 35 ml;
smoked paprika - 3/4 teaspoon.

Preparation

Carrots can be steamed, but it is better to bake them to retain maximum flavor. When the carrot pieces have softened, place them in a blender along with the chickpeas, followed by tahini, garlic clove paste, lemon juice, paprika and salt. Whisk everything together until a smooth paste forms, then add a little liquid or olive oil if necessary.

Classic chickpea hummus recipe

Hummus is the perfect dish for a party where the bowl of pea spread can be served as a dip for chips or croutons. This Mediterranean-style hummus could be one of the dish options.

Ingredients:

boiled chickpeas - 490 g;
tahini - 10 g;
sprig of rosemary;
lemon juice - 25 ml;
- 35 ml;
water - 40 ml.

Preparation

Place the boiled chickpeas in a blender bowl and add water with lemon juice and oil. Add a pinch of salt and beat everything to a paste-like consistency. Grind the rosemary and add it to the hummus, then add the sesame seed paste and whisk again.

For those who do not like the overly strong taste of raw garlic in hummus, we suggest replacing it with baked garlic, which will complement the dish with its aroma, but will make its presence known less dramatically.

It’s easy to bake garlic; just wrap the head in foil and place it in an oven preheated to 190 degrees for 20 minutes.