Happy New Year! I know we’ve all been thinking about our goals for 2016. Goals depend on accountability, so I’ll tell you one of mine: get back in my Forks & Rec game. I cringed when I saw that the last post had been on October 4, 2015, more than three months ago. Here’s to being better in 2016!
What better thing to dip back into the blogosphere with than my favorite homemade hummus recipe?
I first tried my hand at homemade hummus when I was doing an internship in Bamako, Mali in the summer of 2014. I was seriously craving hummus, but couldn’t find it in the (one or two) grocery stores in the city. I found the ingredients, made it in a blender, and reveled in the glory of familiar tastes.
When you live away from home for an extended amount of time, the cravings are real. Really real. That’s why on my trip to the U.S. over the holidays, I stocked up on some of my favorites to bring back to Lusaka with me. Some are understandable, like bags of coffee and a Reese’s. Other things might seem a little more strange, like bringing back a bag of orzo. And some things just show how much of a Pacific Northwester I am at heart, like bringing back a box of smoked salmon.
Then there are other things that even if I could haul it in a checked bag across the world, or if I could find it in the grocery stores in Lusaka, I’d still prefer to make it myself. Because sometimes homemade is just better. Homemade hummus is one of those things.
I even went so far as to haul a food processor from the U.S. to Zambia because I couldn’t face the thought of not being able to make homemade hummus (or homemade pesto). Only when I arrived did I realize that I couldn’t use it in Zambia because of the different electrical voltage here. So I bought one in Zambia, because love is love.
Not only is homemade hummus crazy delicious, it’s also crazy easy to make. In a food processor, throw in:
One can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons of tahini
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 tsp. cumin, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic
Blend it up until smooth and voilà, hummus!
- 1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3 Tbsp. tahini
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp. water
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp. cumin
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
- Add all ingredients to a food processor. Blend on high until smooth. Add water (1 Tbsp. at a time) until desired consistency. Enjoy!
- -Add more or less garlic
- -Add in paprika & cayenne
- -Blend in 1/2 cup boiled beets for a beautiful pink hummus
- -Top with roasted garlic and olive oil
- -Blend in jalapenos for a spicy kick!