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My hummus needs help
Here's my first attempt. It seemed basic, and I guess it is, so it turned
tasty but a bit in the bland side. 2 cups chickpeas (dried and cooked until soft) 1/2 cup well-stirred Al Wahdi tahini, from Lebanon 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 good-sized garlic cloves juice of 1 lemon a bunch of salt and some white pepper I added quite a but of olive oil to keep it moving in the processor (it wouldn't budge in the blender, and was THAT a nasty job scraping it out and transferring it). I've seen a number of other suggestions -- lemon zest, chili powder, cumin, paprika -- but decided to go basic the first time around. Middle Eastern is not my forte. So can anyone help me jazz it up a bit? Felice |
My hummus needs help
Felice wrote on Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:57:21 -0500:
> 2 cups chickpeas (dried and cooked until soft) > 1/2 cup well-stirred Al Wahdi tahini, from Lebanon > 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil > 2 good-sized garlic cloves > juice of 1 lemon > a bunch of salt and some white pepper > I added quite a but of olive oil to keep it moving in the > processor (it wouldn't budge in the blender, and was THAT a > nasty job scraping it out and transferring it). I've seen a > number of other suggestions -- lemon zest, chili powder, > cumin, paprika -- but decided to go basic the first time around. > Middle Eastern is not my forte. > So can anyone help me jazz it up a bit? Using lime juice ( a Mexican idea) instead of lemon produces a superior result, IMHO, and a little cumin, as suggested, is good. I'd sprinkle chili pepper or hot paprika on top. A few drops of toasted sesame oil works wonders. Fresh cilantro is also good unless you are in the significant minority who are genetically programmed to dislike it. -- James Silverton Potomac, Maryland Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not |
My hummus needs help
On Feb 21, 2:06 pm, "James Silverton" >
wrote: > Felice wrote on Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:57:21 -0500: > > > 2 cups chickpeas (dried and cooked until soft) > > 1/2 cup well-stirred Al Wahdi tahini, from Lebanon > > 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil > > 2 good-sized garlic cloves > > juice of 1 lemon > > a bunch of salt and some white pepper > > I added quite a but of olive oil to keep it moving in the > > processor (it wouldn't budge in the blender, and was THAT a > > nasty job scraping it out and transferring it). I've seen a > > number of other suggestions -- lemon zest, chili powder, > > cumin, paprika -- but decided to go basic the first time around. > > Middle Eastern is not my forte. > > So can anyone help me jazz it up a bit? > > Using lime juice ( a Mexican idea) instead of lemon produces a superior > result, IMHO, and a little cumin, as suggested, is good. I'd sprinkle > chili pepper or hot paprika on top. A few drops of toasted sesame oil > works wonders. Fresh cilantro is also good unless you are in the > significant minority who are genetically programmed to dislike it. > > -- > > James Silverton > Potomac, Maryland > > Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not Well, James said most of what I was going to say. Your recipe looks good. Can't have too much garlic. I usually just use canned and don't use a processor. If you don't have a mortar, the olive oil bottle in a mixing bowl works pretty well. A little rougher texture that, at least for me, is better. And cliantro, and/or mint. B |
My hummus needs help
Felice wrote: > > Here's my first attempt. It seemed basic, and I guess it is, so it turned > tasty but a bit in the bland side. > > 2 cups chickpeas (dried and cooked until soft) > 1/2 cup well-stirred Al Wahdi tahini, from Lebanon > 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil > 2 good-sized garlic cloves > juice of 1 lemon > a bunch of salt and some white pepper > > I added quite a but of olive oil to keep it moving in the processor (it > wouldn't budge in the blender, and was THAT a nasty job scraping it out and > transferring it). I've seen a number of other suggestions -- lemon zest, > chili powder, cumin, paprika -- but decided to go basic the first time > around. Middle Eastern is not my forte. > > So can anyone help me jazz it up a bit? > > Felice I'd suggest doubling or tripling the garlic (I love garlic), and adding a small jar of roasted red peppers. You can include a bit of the pepper juice to offset some of the need for olive oil. |
My hummus needs help
"Felice" > wrote in message ... > Here's my first attempt. It seemed basic, and I guess it is, so it turned > tasty but a bit in the bland side. > > 2 cups chickpeas (dried and cooked until soft) > 1/2 cup well-stirred Al Wahdi tahini, from Lebanon > 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil > 2 good-sized garlic cloves > juice of 1 lemon > a bunch of salt and some white pepper > > I added quite a but of olive oil to keep it moving in the processor (it > wouldn't budge in the blender, and was THAT a nasty job scraping it out > and transferring it). I've seen a number of other suggestions -- lemon > zest, chili powder, cumin, paprika -- but decided to go basic the first > time around. Middle Eastern is not my forte. > > So can anyone help me jazz it up a bit? I like to sprinkle a generous amount of chile powder on the top. Perhaps a touch more salt? I'd also try cooking the garbanzos in chicken stock. If you used water, was it salted? Paul |
My hummus needs help
On Feb 21, 1:57*pm, "Felice" > wrote:
> Here's my first attempt. It seemed basic, and I guess it is, so it turned > tasty but a bit in the bland side. > > 2 cups chickpeas (dried and cooked until soft) > 1/2 cup well-stirred Al Wahdi tahini, from Lebanon > 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil > 2 good-sized garlic cloves > juice of 1 lemon > a bunch of salt and some white pepper > > I added quite a but of olive oil to keep it moving in the processor (it > wouldn't budge in the blender, and was THAT a nasty job scraping it out and > transferring it). I've seen a number of other suggestions -- lemon zest, > chili powder, cumin, paprika -- but decided to go basic the first time > around. Middle Eastern is not my forte. > > So can anyone help me jazz it up a bit? > > Felice Looks like a pretty good basic recipe. Just keep adding garlic and/or lemon juice to taste to jazz it up. Maybe black pepper instead of white? Kris |
My hummus needs help
Felice said...
> Here's my first attempt. It seemed basic, and I guess it is, so it > turned tasty but a bit in the bland side. > > 2 cups chickpeas (dried and cooked until soft) > 1/2 cup well-stirred Al Wahdi tahini, from Lebanon > 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil > 2 good-sized garlic cloves > juice of 1 lemon > a bunch of salt and some white pepper > > I added quite a but of olive oil to keep it moving in the processor (it > wouldn't budge in the blender, and was THAT a nasty job scraping it out > and transferring it). I've seen a number of other suggestions -- lemon > zest, chili powder, cumin, paprika -- but decided to go basic the first > time around. Middle Eastern is not my forte. > > So can anyone help me jazz it up a bit? > > Felice Felice, Why not conduct an informal taste test? A few crackers with your hummus, with something different on each... French fried onions (or minced onion?) Crushed red pepper flakes A dash of this or that herb or spice Mayo Creamy horseradish Etc., etc. Then you could decide which one (if any) suits your taste. No need to trial whole batches of hummus over and over. You could end up with several likeable versions this way, faster. Or not, Best, Andy |
My hummus needs help
On Feb 21, 1:57*pm, "Felice" > wrote:
> Here's my first attempt. It seemed basic, and I guess it is, so it turned > tasty but a bit in the bland side. > > 2 cups chickpeas (dried and cooked until soft) > 1/2 cup well-stirred Al Wahdi tahini, from Lebanon > 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil > 2 good-sized garlic cloves > juice of 1 lemon > a bunch of salt and some white pepper > > I added quite a but of olive oil to keep it moving in the processor (it > wouldn't budge in the blender, and was THAT a nasty job scraping it out and > transferring it). I've seen a number of other suggestions -- lemon zest, > chili powder, cumin, paprika -- but decided to go basic the first time > around. Middle Eastern is not my forte. > > So can anyone help me jazz it up a bit? > > Felice Cumin is one of the secret ingredients. I'd go with another clove or two of garlic. Basic hummus is a pretty mild paste. Salt for that much of a mix would be around 1 teaspoon. Just enough to keep it from being blah. I'll use hummus in a sandwich with tomato and lettuce I don't see what the hooha is about roasted red peppers or 40-spice. I admit to not using that much oil. Water, pot likker from the beans, even yogurt are all good for thinning it. My favorite recipe calls for adding the lemon, tahini, garlic and spices first, then adding the peas slowly until you get the consistency you like, then adding whichever liquid you chose (or a mix) and add that until it's right, alternating with the rest of the peas. I'll admit, none has ever tasted as good as the hummus we had in a small cafe in Rafidia. The chickpeas tasted almost toasted. maxine in ri |
My hummus needs help
On Feb 21, 3:22 pm, Andy > wrote:
> Felice said... > > > > > Here's my first attempt. It seemed basic, and I guess it is, so it > > turned tasty but a bit in the bland side. > > > 2 cups chickpeas (dried and cooked until soft) > > 1/2 cup well-stirred Al Wahdi tahini, from Lebanon > > 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil > > 2 good-sized garlic cloves > > juice of 1 lemon > > a bunch of salt and some white pepper > > > I added quite a but of olive oil to keep it moving in the processor (it > > wouldn't budge in the blender, and was THAT a nasty job scraping it out > > and transferring it). I've seen a number of other suggestions -- lemon > > zest, chili powder, cumin, paprika -- but decided to go basic the first > > time around. Middle Eastern is not my forte. > > > So can anyone help me jazz it up a bit? > > > Felice > > Felice, > > Why not conduct an informal taste test? > > A few crackers with your hummus, with something different on each... > > French fried onions (or minced onion?) > Crushed red pepper flakes > A dash of this or that herb or spice > Mayo > Creamy horseradish > Etc., etc. > > Then you could decide which one (if any) suits your taste. No need to trial > whole batches of hummus over and over. You could end up with several > likeable versions this way, faster. > > Or not, > > Best, > > Andy Mayo? I'll try most anything, so, maybe. But . . . |
My hummus needs help
bulka said...
>> Why not conduct an informal taste test? >> >> A few crackers with your hummus, with something different on each... >> >> French fried onions (or minced onion?) >> Crushed red pepper flakes >> A dash of this or that herb or spice >> Mayo > > Mayo? > > I'll try most anything, so, maybe. But . . . bulka, LOL! Just a little for some tang (maybe?) and/or reduce so much olive oil as the emulsifier? We're talking ONE cracker! What can it hurt for Heaven's sake? :) Best, Andy |
My hummus needs help
Felice wrote:
> Here's my first attempt. It seemed basic, and I guess it is, so it > turned tasty but a bit in the bland side. > > 2 cups chickpeas (dried and cooked until soft) > 1/2 cup well-stirred Al Wahdi tahini, from Lebanon > 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil > 2 good-sized garlic cloves > juice of 1 lemon > a bunch of salt and some white pepper > > I added quite a but of olive oil to keep it moving in the processor > (it wouldn't budge in the blender, and was THAT a nasty job scraping > it out and transferring it). I've seen a number of other suggestions > -- lemon zest, chili powder, cumin, paprika -- but decided to go > basic the first time around. Middle Eastern is not my forte. > > So can anyone help me jazz it up a bit? > > Felice Ive been using the Silver Palate recipe for years. Never found anything better. It has a bit of a kick. I wouldn't screw around with paprika and chili powder and the like. If you are starting with dry chickpeas, throw some S&P, a clove or two of garlic, and a couple of bay leaves in the cooking water. Remove bay eaves after cooking. The SP proportions a 4 Cups cooked, drained chick peas 1/2 C Tahini 1/3 C warm water 1/3 C good olive oil 4 or more cloves of garlic juice of 2 or 3 lemons 1 1/2 tsp salt 2 tsp ground cumin fresh black pepper. Basically, puree first 5 ingredients, using the juice of only 2 lemons to start. Add the rest of the ingredients and puree thoroughly. Taste and correct seasoning, adding lemon juice as desired. |
My hummus needs help
When I was teaching ESL in Chicago we did a pot-luck. One of the
things I brought was hummus. I asked one of the Arab women (I forget where she was from) how I did. She said it was good, but odd in the afternoon, since she usually had it for breakfast. Whatever. Oh, Felice - to perk yours up, garnish with some olives and/or some kind of pickle. Have you ever seen those day-glow fushia turnips at the arab salad bar? They don't taste that special, but make a great garnish. They're fuscia! B |
My hummus needs help
On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:57:21 -0500, Felice wrote:
> Here's my first attempt. It seemed basic, and I guess it is, so it > turned tasty but a bit in the bland side. > > 2 cups chickpeas (dried and cooked until soft) 1/2 cup well-stirred Al > Wahdi tahini, from Lebanon 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil > 2 good-sized garlic cloves > juice of 1 lemon > a bunch of salt and some white pepper > > I added quite a but of olive oil to keep it moving in the processor (it > wouldn't budge in the blender, and was THAT a nasty job scraping it out > and transferring it). I've seen a number of other suggestions -- lemon > zest, chili powder, cumin, paprika -- but decided to go basic the first > time around. Middle Eastern is not my forte. > > So can anyone help me jazz it up a bit? Perhaps Hommous just isnt to your liking? I stick to a fairly similar recipe myself, except add a lot more tahini than most recipes state. Also add some cumin. You also need a decent wattage blender to do the job well, otherwise it'll be a slow and tedious job. |
My hummus needs help
Andy wrote:
> Felice said... > >> Here's my first attempt. It seemed basic, and I guess it is, so it >> turned tasty but a bit in the bland side. >> >> 2 cups chickpeas (dried and cooked until soft) >> 1/2 cup well-stirred Al Wahdi tahini, from Lebanon >> 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil >> 2 good-sized garlic cloves >> juice of 1 lemon >> a bunch of salt and some white pepper >> >> I added quite a but of olive oil to keep it moving in the processor (it >> wouldn't budge in the blender, and was THAT a nasty job scraping it out >> and transferring it). I've seen a number of other suggestions -- lemon >> zest, chili powder, cumin, paprika -- but decided to go basic the first >> time around. Middle Eastern is not my forte. >> >> So can anyone help me jazz it up a bit? >> >> Felice > > > Felice, > > Why not conduct an informal taste test? > > A few crackers with your hummus, with something different on each... > > French fried onions (or minced onion?) > Crushed red pepper flakes > A dash of this or that herb or spice > Mayo > Creamy horseradish > Etc., etc. > > Then you could decide which one (if any) suits your taste. No need to trial > whole batches of hummus over and over. You could end up with several > likeable versions this way, faster. > > Or not, > > Best, > > Andy Oh, for that matter... Variants I like are chipotle (en adobo), zataar, and smoky paprika. You could try tiny portions with a bit of those added to see if you like them. -- Jean B. |
My hummus needs help
Maxine wrote:
> Cumin is one of the secret ingredients. I'd go with another clove or two > of garlic. Basic hummus is a pretty mild paste. Salt for that much of a > mix would be around 1 teaspoon. Just enough to keep it from being blah. <snip> > I'll admit, none has ever tasted as good as the hummus we had in a small > cafe in Rafidia. The chickpeas tasted almost toasted. I agree with the recommendation for cumin. Also, why *not* toast the chickpeas to get that toasty flavor? The best hummus I ever had contained some roasted carrot which had been added for a bit of extra sweetness and body. Bob |
My hummus needs help
On Feb 21, 12:57*pm, "Felice" > wrote:
> Here's my first attempt. It seemed basic, and I guess it is, so it turned > tasty but a bit in the bland side. > > 2 cups chickpeas (dried and cooked until soft) > 1/2 cup well-stirred Al Wahdi tahini, from Lebanon > 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil > 2 good-sized garlic cloves > juice of 1 lemon > a bunch of salt and some white pepper > > I added quite a but of olive oil to keep it moving in the processor (it > wouldn't budge in the blender, and was THAT a nasty job scraping it out and > transferring it). I've seen a number of other suggestions -- lemon zest, > chili powder, cumin, paprika -- but decided to go basic the first time > around. Middle Eastern is not my forte. > > So can anyone help me jazz it up a bit? > > Felice More lemon juice. Probably a total of 2-4 lemons worth for that amount of chickpeas. If hummus is bland, it doesn't have enough lemon. Also try adding some cumin - maybe 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of powdered cumin. Later, Mark Muller |
My hummus needs help
"Felice" > wrote in message ... > Here's my first attempt. It seemed basic, and I guess it is, so it turned > tasty but a bit in the bland side. Wow! Must be a boatload of hummus-eaters out there! Thank you all for your suggestions, both as to ingredients and methods. First prize goes to Andy for suggesting trying different "add-ins" with a plateful of crackers. Second prize is for Paul, who suggested cooking the beans in chicken stock. So next week will be Hummus Test Week. Felice |
My hummus needs help
On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:57:21 -0500, "Felice" >
wrote: >Here's my first attempt. It seemed basic, and I guess it is, so it turned >tasty but a bit in the bland side. > >2 cups chickpeas (dried and cooked until soft) >1/2 cup well-stirred Al Wahdi tahini, from Lebanon >1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil >2 good-sized garlic cloves >juice of 1 lemon >a bunch of salt and some white pepper > >I added quite a but of olive oil to keep it moving in the processor (it >wouldn't budge in the blender, and was THAT a nasty job scraping it out and >transferring it). I've seen a number of other suggestions -- lemon zest, >chili powder, cumin, paprika -- but decided to go basic the first time >around. Middle Eastern is not my forte. > >So can anyone help me jazz it up a bit? > >Felice > More garlic. And I don't use the tahini. If you want more liquid without adding too much olive oil, just use water- works a charm. Nathalie in Switzerland |
My hummus needs help
"Nathalie Chiva" <Nathaliedotchivaatgmail.remove.com> wrote in message ... > On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:57:21 -0500, "Felice" > > wrote: > >>Here's my first attempt. It seemed basic, and I guess it is, so it turned >>tasty but a bit in the bland side. >> >>2 cups chickpeas (dried and cooked until soft) >>1/2 cup well-stirred Al Wahdi tahini, from Lebanon >>1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil >>2 good-sized garlic cloves >>juice of 1 lemon >>a bunch of salt and some white pepper >> >>I added quite a but of olive oil to keep it moving in the processor (it >>wouldn't budge in the blender, and was THAT a nasty job scraping it out >>and >>transferring it). I've seen a number of other suggestions -- lemon zest, >>chili powder, cumin, paprika -- but decided to go basic the first time >>around. Middle Eastern is not my forte. >> >>So can anyone help me jazz it up a bit? >> >>Felice >> > > More garlic. And I don't use the tahini. If you want more liquid > without adding too much olive oil, just use water- works a charm. > > Nathalie in Switzerland Thanks, Natalie. Someone else had also suggested using water as the added liquid. I'm almost ashamed to say I thought water was too obvious and that there must be a more exotic ingredient! Felice |
My hummus needs help
Felice wrote on Sun, 22 Feb 2009 12:31:21 -0500:
> "Nathalie Chiva" <Nathaliedotchivaatgmail.remove.com> wrote in > message ... >> On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:57:21 -0500, "Felice" > >> wrote: >> >>> Here's my first attempt. It seemed basic, and I guess it is, >>> so it turned tasty but a bit in the bland side. >>> >>> 2 cups chickpeas (dried and cooked until soft) >>> 1/2 cup well-stirred Al Wahdi tahini, from Lebanon >>> 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil >>> 2 good-sized garlic cloves >>> juice of 1 lemon >>> a bunch of salt and some white pepper >>> >>> I added quite a but of olive oil to keep it moving in the >>> processor (it wouldn't budge in the blender, and was THAT a nasty >>> job scraping it out and transferring it). I've seen a number of >>> other suggestions -- lemon zest, chili powder, >>> cumin, paprika -- but decided to go basic the first >>> time around. Middle Eastern is not my forte. >>> >>> So can anyone help me jazz it up a bit? >>> >>> Felice >>> >> More garlic. And I don't use the tahini. If you want more >> liquid without adding too much olive oil, just use water- >> works a charm. >> >> Nathalie in Switzerland > Thanks, Natalie. Someone else had also suggested using water > as the added liquid. I'm almost ashamed to say I thought water > was too obvious and that there must be a more exotic > ingredient! Just to go back slightly, I always use cumin, chicken stock if the hummus is too dry and I never add tahini. The sesame taste can be gotten from 2-3 drops of toasted sesame oil. -- James Silverton Potomac, Maryland Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not |
My hummus needs help
"James Silverton" > wrote in message ... > Just to go back slightly, I always use cumin, chicken stock if the hummus > is too dry and I never add tahini. The sesame taste can be gotten from 2-3 > drops of toasted sesame oil. And it's easier to add a few drops of oil than to stir up separated tahini! Felice |
My hummus needs help
Arri London wrote:
> > Felice wrote: >> "Felice" > wrote in message >> ... >>> Here's my first attempt. It seemed basic, and I guess it is, so it turned >>> tasty but a bit in the bland side. >> Wow! Must be a boatload of hummus-eaters out there! >> >> Thank you all for your suggestions, both as to ingredients and methods. >> First prize goes to Andy for suggesting trying different "add-ins" with a >> plateful of crackers. Second prize is for Paul, who suggested cooking the >> beans in chicken stock. >> >> So next week will be Hummus Test Week. >> >> Felice > > > Try a little more olive oil spread on top and some toasted pine nuts. Nice one Arri :) In our Hummus (we spell it hummouse here in some places ) We add Paprika on the top and eat with flat bread and Tabuli when want a big HIT add tabasco :) |
My hummus needs help
Felice wrote: > > "Felice" > wrote in message > ... > > Here's my first attempt. It seemed basic, and I guess it is, so it turned > > tasty but a bit in the bland side. > > Wow! Must be a boatload of hummus-eaters out there! > > Thank you all for your suggestions, both as to ingredients and methods. > First prize goes to Andy for suggesting trying different "add-ins" with a > plateful of crackers. Second prize is for Paul, who suggested cooking the > beans in chicken stock. > > So next week will be Hummus Test Week. > > Felice Try a little more olive oil spread on top and some toasted pine nuts. |
My hummus needs help
phil-c wrote: > > Arri London wrote: > > > > Felice wrote: > >> "Felice" > wrote in message > >> ... > >>> Here's my first attempt. It seemed basic, and I guess it is, so it turned > >>> tasty but a bit in the bland side. > >> Wow! Must be a boatload of hummus-eaters out there! > >> > >> Thank you all for your suggestions, both as to ingredients and methods. > >> First prize goes to Andy for suggesting trying different "add-ins" with a > >> plateful of crackers. Second prize is for Paul, who suggested cooking the > >> beans in chicken stock. > >> > >> So next week will be Hummus Test Week. > >> > >> Felice > > > > > > Try a little more olive oil spread on top and some toasted pine nuts. > > Nice one Arri :) TYVM My favourite form of hummous :) > > In our Hummus (we spell it hummouse here in some places ) > We add Paprika on the top and eat with flat bread and Tabuli > > when want a big HIT add tabasco :) Fair enough. Have never associated hummous with chile though ;) |
My hummus needs help
"phil-c" > wrote in message ... > In our Hummus (we spell it hummouse here in some places ) > We add Paprika on the top and eat with flat bread and Tabuli > > when want a big HIT add tabasco :) You must have sent me a subliminal message: I tossed some Tabasco in a bit of hummus/hummouse tonight and it was GOOD! Felice |
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