FFWD ~ Hummus bi Tahini

Delicious Hummus bi Tahini

This recipe is probably the easiest I’ve done for French Fridays.  Hummus is an Arabic word meaning “chickpeas”.  Hummus is something I grew up on…well kind of.  I don’t remember my grandmother making it.  Maybe because; back then there were no blenders or food processors.  However, my Auntie Mary was the hummus maker in our family. She would make it for parties and get togethers. The first time I remember eating this wonderful concoction was while visiting my three aunties with my mother. I guess I was in my early teens. Hummus is a national dish in Lebanon along with tabouleh. They even have contests with Israel to see who makes the best and biggest!

In May 2010, the Guinness World Record for the largest dish of hummus
in the world, returned to Lebanon. The winning dish, cooked by 300 cooks
in the village of al-Fanar near Beirut, weighed approximately 10450 kg (roughly 23000 lb)

When I was a young bride, I started to make it myself to bring to family gatherings. After one such event, my sister asked me how hard it was to make. She wanted to make some herself.  I gave her the recipe from a Lebanese cookbook my mother had given me when I got married.  I told her how easy it was. Just put everything into the blender jar.  A few days later my sister called, telling me she would never make hummus again…it took her forever to peel all those chick peas!! My mom and I laughed so hard at the thought of her peeling each and every chick pea in the Progresso can. My sister and I still laugh about it today!

So I made my hummus, but I don’t mess with a good thing. Sorry Dorie but, you can’t improve on our recipe.  However, Dories recipe is quite close.  I would never put cumin in my hummus! It’s done quite often, but not by me.  I also use more lemon juice…about a ¼ cup or to taste. Always from fresh lemons.  If it seems too thick, you can thin it with about ½ cup of water.  Sometimes I add other ingredients, to change it up a bit, like roasted red peppers. That’s what I did with this one!  In my house, you can’t have a holiday appetizer table with out hummus and pita chips. I often make it for myself to eat during the week for lunch, with veggies or pita.  My four year old grandsons love it for lunch sometimes eating it by spoonfuls! Hey it’s healthy…so why not enjoy!!  Happy Friday everyone!!
This recipe can be found in Dorie Greenspans cookbook “Around My French Table”.  To see what my fellow Doristas are doing check it out here.

I always use Progresso chick peas,  fresh lemon juice, fresh garlic cloves and tahini…some times I add roasted red pepper
or sun dried tomatoes.

It’s so easy in the food processor

A wonderful concoction…yum!

I always drizzle olive oil on mine

Enjoy!!