A recipe for quick, authentic hummus

This tasty Middle Eastern dip of Arab roots is made from crushed chickpeas and is high in protein and fibre, making it healthy and versatile. You can scoop it up with pita bread, dip vegetables and pita chips into it, or spread it onto bread for a yummy sandwich. While you can buy prepackaged hummus, fresh, homemade hummus is cheaper and tastes even better. Below is the recipe for authentic Middle Eastern hummus — and it takes only minutes to make.

Quick hummus

Ingredients:

1 can chick peas (medium standard size)
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt, or salt to taste
Juice from 1 squeezed lemon, add more to taste
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
Olive oil to taste

Directions:

Mince the garlic clove, then put it into the blender or food processor. You can also grind the garlic clove and salt together if you have the time.
Add the salt.
Drain the water from the can of chickpeas, and pour the chickpeas into the blender. Blend until they lose their shape (or look mushed).
Add the lemon juice and tahini. Blend until the mixture is smooth.
Taste and add more salt or lemon juice to your liking.
Pour the hummus into a bowl, and drizzle with olive oil.
Serve with pita bread or vegetables, and enjoy!

Preparation time: 5–10 minutes

Note: This recipe uses a medium-sized can of chickpeas, which is the standard. It serves two people if eaten on its own as the main meal. Using this recipe for an appetizer or side dish serves more. If you can’t locate tahini at your local grocery store, try ethnic or health food stores. If you have the time to make your hummus even fresher, replace the can of chickpeas with dried chickpeas. Buy a bag of dried chickpeas and soak them in water overnight. The next day, boil the chickpeas until they’re soft, then carry out the remainder of the directions in this recipe.