Mmmmm….Hummus!
Hummus is not an Armenian recipe, but Armenians sure do love it. We’re not the only ones, either. That’s become quite evident with the broad selection we find in our local grocery stores these days.
I never had hummus as a child; neither of my grandmothers prepared it. The first time hummus crossed my lips was in the early 1970’s, when I was in Massachusetts, visiting my sister and brother-in-law, Dawn and Ara. They took me to an ASA (Armenian Students’ Association) dance at the Sheraton Commander Hotel in Harvard Square. What fun! Great music, lots of young, interesting people, and MEZZA. There was a dip on the plate that was unfamiliar to me, but that didn’t stop me from giving it a try. I was hooked with that first taste!
The hummus recipe I have was given to me by one of my sister’s Armenian friends, Christine Shamsey. I still use it, but I don’t measure the ingredients as precisely as I used to.
It’s simple and delicious. Give it a try.
Classic Hummus
Ingredients
- 20 oz chickpeas (canned)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice (more or less to taste)
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 garlic cloves (small, peeled)
- 2 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor.
- Blend until smooth. (If the hummus seems to be too thick, add a little more oil – or water – if you’re worried about the extra calories)
- Adjust seasonings, if necessary.
- Cover and chill to allow flavors to develop.
Good recipe. I sometimes add basil and sundried tomatoes to trick my friends into thinking I’ve done something fancy. (They’re easily fooled.)
🙂 Erin
to make a truly authentic and succesful hummos u must peel the chickpeas before pureeing them..luscious
You can also use peanut butter if you don't have any Tahini
Hummus with tahini is not hummus!
CORRECTION: Hummus WITHOUT tahini is not hummus! It's dip!
Hummus with peanut butter instead of tahineh?? SHUDDER!!!
My Gramma added 1/4 teaspoon of cumin. She also saved the chickpea cooking water and thinned it out with that. She drizzled olive oil on the top and lightly sprinkled paprika for color.
My grandmother made hummus (actually a white bean salad) slightly differently, and I can't find a recipe like she made it. I know she mashed white beans, added some of the ingredients in the hummus recipe and garnished with very small rings of onions. Have you seen a recipe for something like this.
I apologize for the delay in my response. Here's a link for White Bean Hummus from George Duran (he's Armenian!) which might help: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/white-bean-hummus-recipe-1946671
I remember back in the '70s going the Armenian dances at the Sheraton Commander Hotel in Harvard Square. Wow talk about a blast from the past. 🙂