Mindy Kobrin

Give a kid a chick pea, and he/she will tell you, “no way.” Give a kid some hummus and you’ve got one happy kid. I love that hummus is so popular. I’ve logged many trips to Europe and the Middle-East and have sampled some truly excellent hummus, but I’m happiest with my homemade bowl. As we gear up for back to school season, add this ultimate hummus dip recipe to your lunchbox repertoire.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried chickpeas (Garbanzo beans), rinsed and soaked overnight in water filled bowl.
• 1/2 cup Sesame tahini paste, found at supermarkets
• 1/4 cup Extra Virgin olive oil,
• 3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin plus 1/2 tsp ground red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• (Optional: Smoked paprika and chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish.)

Instructions

1. Drain and rinse the Garbanzo beans. Place in a pot with water with 4 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook for 1 hour or more until beans are fork tender and soft. Drain, reserving once cup of starchy water and 1/2 cup cooked beans. Let beans and cup of water cool.
2. Place cooled beans in a food processor. Process until no chunks remain. Add tahini paste, oil, lemon juice, grated garlic, cumin and red pepper flakes. Pulse. Add salt and pepper and process until smooth. Add reserved cooking water a little bit at a time until desired consistency.
3. Transfer to a serving bowl. Add whole cooked beans to center and drizzle olive oil around them.
4. (Optional: Sprinkle with smoked paprika and parsley.)

Notes