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Have been working on houmous for a while. My first attempts were so disappointing, I quit for a very long time. Then a couple of years ago, I made another attempt, with modest success, but still not enough to stop me from buying it.
Last summer I tried again – and made progress, bit still wasn’t making a houmous as good as what I could buy elsewhere. Then I bought Smorl’s houmous and read the ingredients, visited some websites, tried again. Today I made a houmous that I think is good enough to sell. Am I gonna give you the recipe? Huh! What’s it worth to you?
Am I gonna tell you my secrets? Huh!
Kombu sheets (Photo credit: FotoosVanRobin)
I didn’t measure, so the quantities are approximate – which could be why it’s so tricky to get right, but then when I’ve followed a recipe and measured, it didn’t turn out right, so I think it’s one of those things you have to make over and over and over, and taste, and then one day, you’ve got it.
- about 2/3 cup dried organic chick peas, soaked for about 12 hours
- cook in at least triple water, together with
- 1 double-wide sheet kombu vegetable cut into thin strips
When the chick peas are cooked, set half aside, with their own portion of the liquid and kombu, and add
- half a dozen or so cloves of garlic, sliced
- the juice of 1 medium sized lemon
- 1 Dessertspoonful of Tahini paste
- 1/2 tsp dried red hot chili
- 1 Dessertspoonful extra virgin olive oil
Blend with a hand held mixer (I do it right in the saucepan to reduce dish washing), frequently stopping and stirring with a spatula, scraping the mix off the sides of the pan and blending in.
When it’s blended but still a bit lumpy
- add the other half of your chick peas, liquid and kombu.
Blend again, using the same method as above.
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Taste.
Blend.
When it’s almost there texture wise, but a bit dry
- add about 1/4 cup of water.
Blend some more.
Blend. Blend. Blend. All the while, scraping the sides with the spatula.
What I know for sure, the proportion of lemon and tahini to chick peas is crucial. Too much of either makes it not right. Garlic is a matter of personal, preference as is the hot red chili.
Drizzle with olive oil and serve.
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