Israeli Hummus with Spicy Fried Chickpeas
January 7, 2022
Israeli hummus is the best I have ever tasted, truly. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s light, almost like a mousse and deeply rich-tasting. High in protein, it keeps us feeling nourished and centered. Brilliant little chickpeas.
Makes 6-8 servings
Ingredient List:
- 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked for at least an hour with 1 tablespoon baking soda.
- 3 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup tahini, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Sea salt
- Paprika, for garnish
- Pita bread, for serving
- Spicy Fried Chickpeas
- Extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup cooked chickpeas
- Smoked paprika
- Cayenne pepper
- Sea salt
Step By Step Instructions:
Rinse dried chickpeas and place in a bowl generously covered with water. Stir in baking soda and set aside for at least an hour but as long as overnight. Drain the chickpeas and rinse them very well under cold water.
Place the chickpeas in a saucepan with 5 times the water. Add the garlic cloves and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat until the chickpeas are tender, about 40-45 minutes. Drain, reserving ¼ cup of the cooking water. Rinse the chickpeas under cold water. Peel the garlic cloves.
Using a food processor, puree the chickpeas with 1/2 of the reserved cooking water, olive oil and garlic cloves. Add the cumin along with tahini and lemon juice and process until creamy. Season the hummus with salt and transfer to a serving bowl.
To make the spicy chickpeas, place enough oil in a small skillet to generously cover the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat to medium. ‘
Mix together 2 teaspoons paprika, ½ teaspoon cayenne and ½ teaspoon salt. Toss the chickpeas in the mixture to coat.
When the oil is hot, cook the chickpeas, using a spoon to move them around in the oil, until lightly browned and crispy, about 4-7 minutes.
Serve the hummus with spiced chickpeas mounded on top and drizzle of olive oil.
Cook’s Tip: The key to great hummus is the tahini, so look for one that is thick, but more liquid than paste. It should be pourable, not like peanut butter.