Hummus

Hummus is a chickpea paste from Far Eastern cuisine. Currently, it is trendy due to its health-promoting properties. Chickpea paste is rich in minerals such as zinc, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, potassium, selenium, sodium, copper, iron, and calcium. It is also an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and those from group B. Humus also contains folates ( the synthetic name of the form in tablets is folic acid) which is especially necessary for expectant mothers. Suppose I had known that I would have been eating hummus when I was expecting a child ;). Nothing is lost because legumes, including chickpeas, also contain phytoestrogens, which are very helpful in relieving the symptoms of menopause in women. So, dear ladies, it is worth introducing this magical dish to your diet.

How to choose the best ingredients for Hummus

Chickpeas: If you have the option, choose organic chickpeas with smaller grains. So the smaller grains in legumes are more velvety after cooking and cook for less time.

Lemon: Lemon here, we will only use juice, but I also recommend using lemon zest, e.g., to refresh the dishwasher. If you put the lemon zest, you will restore the dishwasher and make the smell of the washed dishes slightly lemon. I love it, and I recommend giving it a try. It’s natural, and you don’t have to buy artificial flavors.

Tahini: You can buy tahini, preferably organic. However, you can also do it yourself. Sesame paste can be used in a variety of dishes and can be stored for a very long time. I keep it in a glass jar in the fridge. I use it for spreads, soups, and desserts. How to make the perfect tahini can be found on my blog.

Garlic: garlic is essential in chickpea paste. However, it cannot dominate the effects, so one clove is added, and the variety does not matter here.

Lemon juice: lemon juice overpowers the taste of chickpeas and tahini. It goes perfectly with cumin. You can read how to squeeze lemon juice in tips and tricks effectively.

Cumin: cumin is supposedly included in hummus recipes as an optional addition, but I encourage you to add it if you don’t like the smell of this. I have a problem with one spice, and even though I know it has many health properties, I can’t eat the dish. So I give it a wide berth.

Tips and Tricks for Hummus

• If you don’t use canned chickpeas, you need half of the dry chickpeas, about 150 gr.
• I prefer this method, so I do it because I use a little treatment to make the chickpeas work well with my digestive system
• First, soak chickpeas in water with half a teaspoon of baking soda to cook them well. To speed up this process, you can pour hot water over it, then overnight soaking is limited to 2-3 hours. Soaking the grains in baking soda also speeds up the cooking time, and the grains become super soft and easier to blend, and the hummus will be smoother.
• In addition, if you want your hummus to be super smooth, then after cooking the chickpeas, throw the seeds into cold water, then the skin of the chickpeas separates and floats to the top. You can then separate it from the chickpeas.
• Cumin is supposedly optional (if you don’t like its taste) but necessary because it soothes digestive ailments after chickpeas. Hummus is supposed to give joy to eating, not problems. Try and decide. Just peeling chickpeas from the skin and soaking them in baking soda can significantly reduce this process.
• Hummus can be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container or jar for up to 5 days.
• Lemon to squeeze the juice from the lemon well, first roll it on the countertop, pressing it gently, and only after this procedure, cut it in half and squeeze the juice.
• If you do not add cumin to hummus, it can be used for dessert, e.g. by mixing with dried fruits such as dates or chocolate cream, or if you add honey, peanut butter, or cocoa.

For other healthy inspirations with chickpeas in the main role:

A quick and very tasty salad with chickpeas in the main role Mediterranean chickpea salad