Ingredients
- 2 × 400 g tins chickpeas, drained (keep the liquid), or 500 g home-cooked chickpeas
- 4 tbsp light tahini
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 4–6 tbsp ice-cold water or chickpea liquid
To serve
- A pinch of smoked paprika or sumac, and a few whole chickpeas
Method
- Toast the cumin: warm the cumin seeds in a dry pan for 30–60 seconds until fragrant, then grind them.
- Warm the chickpeas: simmer the chickpeas in a little water for 5 minutes, then drain. Warm chickpeas blend into a much smoother hummus.
- Blend the base: blend the tahini, lemon juice, garlic and salt for 1 minute, until thick and pale.
- Add the chickpeas: add the chickpeas and cumin and blend for 3–4 minutes, adding the cold water a spoonful at a time, until very smooth and creamy.
- Taste: adjust the lemon and salt, then spoon into a bowl, swirl with the back of a spoon and top with paprika or sumac and a few whole chickpeas.
- Serve: with crunchy vegetables, Spiced Red Lentil Crisps or as part of a Five-minute Mezze Plate. It keeps for 4 days in the fridge.
Why it's good for you: Chickpeas bring protein, soluble fibre and resistant starch, which feed the friendly gut bacteria and help keep blood sugar steady, while tahini adds calcium, iron and healthy fats. Cumin has been valued for centuries in Middle Eastern cooking for warming and supporting the digestion, which suits a dish built on pulses.
Good to know: For easier digestion, cook dried chickpeas from scratch after soaking them overnight. Keeping the added oil out lets the tahini and chickpeas carry the richness.
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