I am all for tradition, in fact, I love traditions. Traditions are rooted in "age old" food and preparation practices that hold meaning in each culture. Meaning that has somehow gotten lost in today's culinary practices. One of those foods, is hummus. It is a Middle Eastern food, that in the Western commercialized food industry lacks Middle Eastern flare. I have been making your standard hummus recipe for years, it wasn't until I incorporated tradition that I had guests commenting,
"This is the best hummus I have ever had!" J. Chenda, Australia.
Here is a recipe that was born out of a need to bring tradition back to the table.
Hummus Bean Spread
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Blender: 3 minutes
Special Instructions: You will need a high powered blender to give this spread a creamy consistency
Ingredients
2 cups of cooked chickpeas or canned (BPA free)
1/4 cup of raw tahini
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 tablespoons of low sodium coconut aminos sauce (or an organic soy sauce)
1/8-1/4 cup of lemon juice (use fresh squeezed)
1/4 tsp of sea salt
1/4 tsp of Spanish smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin powder
3 tbsp of fresh parsley
2 tbsp of olive oil
Preparation
place ingredients in the order listed into a food processor with the exception of the parsley and olive oil. Start with 1/8 cup of lemon juice.
pulse till ingredients come together in blender. If the mixture looks dry, add the additional lemon juice. Add parsley, replace lid and process till ingredients form a smooth consistency.
if your blender has a “shoot”, drizzle olive oil while blending, till the olive oil is incorporated into the mix.
taste and adjust with garlic, coconut sauce or lemon juice, or spices to preference.
top and serve with fresh parsley.
Meal/Preparation Tips:
Hummus is normally served with pita bread, however, fresh vegetables and warm toasted grain crackers are also a delight. Hummus makes a great spread in pita wraps and sandwiches. Hummus travels well, as does guacamole for those long plane, train, bus or car rides. Kids love snacks with spread and crunch, especially when they are wrapped up in pretty reusable wraps and containers!