Simple Hummus

Hummus is of Egyptian and Levantine in origin. But this simple mix of pureed sesame seeds and chickpeas has been devoured all over North Africa, Middle East and the Mediterranean for centuries. It makes a delicious dip, no doubt.  I haven't made Hummus for a long time - I wondered why. It is quite tasty and so easy to prepare. I had it with wholewheat flatbreads called chapathis, and it made quite a nice snack.

I remember having Hummus with baked pita chips in Philadelphia when we had visited one of my husband's colleague Gaurav and his wife in 2014. We drove from Bluebell where we lived to Philadelphia which was just an hour away. Philly is a vibrant happening city, if you look past the dark alleys and certain unappealing areas.  

​The recipe below is for a basic Simple Hummus. You can also add coriander leaves to get Coriander Hummus or grilled Red pepper to get Red Pepper Hummus.

​Ingredients (yields 2 cups )
​1 can of chickpeans (15 oz)
​1/2 cup of  roasted white sesame seeds ( or 2 tbsps Tahini)
1 small clove of garlic
2/3 cup EVOO
2 tbsps lemon juice
​1/4 tsp cumin powder
Salt
​2-4 tbsps water (if needed to make the paste smoother) 

For garnish 
​2 tbsps olive oil
A dash of paprika
​2 olives and a small sprig of coriander leaves

Method
​1)First, grind the sesame seeds into a paste.This is essentially the Tahini. This ought to yield 2 tbsps.
​2) Then, put all the other ingredients and the tahini into a food processor and process untill the whole mixture forms a light brown thick paste. DO NOT use a blender as it takes forever to grind and you'll find yourself adding more and more EVOO or water to grind to a smooth paste. 
​3)  Serve in a small bowl, garnished with swirls of EVOO and a dash of paprika nd the olives and coriander leaves.
​4) Enjoy it as a dip for vegs, pita chips and more!