Quick Hummus for Easy Entertaining...

Featured in Tastespotting.com on 26th Sep 12

While the quickest Hummus would be a store bought variety, it’s not essentially the tastiest. At the other end of the spectrum is the completely home made Hummus which is super yuumy but so time consuming (with the overnight soaking of the chickpea and then boiling blah blah blah), that it takes the joy out of entertaining. Ok, I’m exaggerating, but I’ve never been a fan of being a slave to the kitchen. Give me quick, easy and tasty any day! So I’ve found a happy median with this recipe. I use canned chickpea and tahini paste and blend the rest of the ingredients in! It’s super simple and tastes 100% better than the store bought one. And I also have the satisfaction that I churned it out myself. (At least MOST of it)! J

Babaganoush

So what exactly is Babaganoush? (Ba-ba-ga-nuj). Sounds exotic I know - Like a word that twirls around in your mouth and takes you to some strange colorful dream in the Arabian nights. Well, Babaganoush is a Lebanese dip, a cousin of my favorite dip – Hummus. The hero of this recipe is the lovely aubergine/eggplant. The eggplant is broiled/roasted over an open flame before peeling and mashing, so that the pulp has a nice smokey taste which is characteristic of this dip. The process is very similar to cooking our Baingan ka Barta in India. We mix it with tomatoes, garlic and onion paste and eat it with rotis or naan. The Lebanese mix it with Tahini and lemon juice and eat it with pita. It’s a small world! But the end result either way - is a glorious, smokey, silky pate that has everyone begging for more.  

Babaganoush

Prep time: 15 mins

Resting time: 10 mins

Makes: 8 servings

What you need:

1 big Eggplant
¼ cup Tahini (roasted white sesame paste)
¾ tsp Coarse Salt
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
3 cloves Garlic (smashed)
¼ tsp Chili powder
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
To Serve:
Some yoghurt, more lemon juice and half a bunch Cilantro, chopped
Pita bread/ Crackers

What to do:

Prick the eggplant with a fork in a couple of places or make 4-5 long slits on the sides with a knife. Char the outside of the eggplant by placing it directly on the flame of a gas burner and as the skin chars, turn it until the eggplant is uniformly-charred on the outside. 10-15 mins is smokey enough for most people. Remove, put it in a ziplock (to preserve the smokiness) or cover with a damp tissue and let it cool. Split the eggplant and scrape out the pulp. Puree the pulp in a blender with the other ingredients (except the lemon juice & salt). Taste and season with the salt and lemon juice. Chill for a few hours before serving. (Babaganoush keeps well for 4-5 days in the fridge).

Just before serving, mix in some yoghurt (I use 1 Tbsp for 5 Tbsps of Babganoush), garnish with a dash of olive oil and some freshly chopped cilantro. Serve with toasted pita bread or crackers.

P.S. I smothered some on my freshly baked bread, topped with some olives and thoroughly enjoyed myself!

Hummus Bi Tahini

Hummus is a dip/ spread that is made from chickpeas. In fact, hummus is the Arabic word for Chick pea. The cool thing about Middle eastern food is that no recipe is set in stone. You can vary the ingredients to suit your taste and still end up with something amazing on your plate. This delicious puree can be served over salad, as part of a Turkish style mezze, a dip or even as a sandwich filling. Don't let rules bind you … go have some fun!


Hummus Bi Tahini (with Tahini – sesame paste)

What you need:
Juice of two lemons
2 Garlic cloves, sliced
2/3 cup Tahini paste
Flat leaf parsley – to garnish
¾ cup dried Chickpeas
2 Tbsp Olive oil
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
Salt and Ground Black pepper, to taste
Extra Olive oil and Cayenne pepper for sprinkling

What to do:
Put the chickpeas in a large bowl with plenty of cold water and leave them to soak overnight.

Throughly rinse and drain the chickpeas, then place them in a large pan and cover with fresh water. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 mins. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 1 ¼ - 2 hrs until soft. Drain the chick peas in a colander and puree in a food processor until they form a smooth paste.

Add the lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, cayenne pepper and tahini paste and blend until creamy, scraping the mixture down from the sides of the bowl. Season the puree with plenty of salt and black pepper and transfer to a serving dish.

Sprinkle with a little olive oil and cayenne pepper, and garnish with a few parsley sprigs. Serve
with toasted pitta bread and olives if you like.

NOTE: Tahini is a paste that is made from sesame seeds, cumin and sesame oil. It is used in many middle eastern recipes, so it is a useful ingredient to have.