The Chickpea and the Cook

'A Chickpea leaps almost over the rim of the pot where it's being boiled.''Why are you doing this to me?''

The cook knocks him down with the ladle.''Dont you try to jump out.You think I'm torturing you.I'm giving you flavour''

Rumi

Everyone knows there are a thousand ways to make hummus... liquid, stiff, garlicy, lemony, Tescos released their sweet chilli's all over the hummus rack (I confess, I love it), some even make avocado hummus (I'm sorry, I find it repulsive). There are even a thousand ways to spell hummus... so trying to find the 'Perfect houmous/ hummus/hummous/hommos ... recipe' is quite a challenge! Especially considering everyone thinks their's is the best... But I have found it. The best. Ever. Oven Baked Hummus... 

Are you Ready? 

Unbaked Hummus

You see, I guess it's through getting to know chickpeas that I am learning to respect the age old way of doing things. Fast living tins of Chickpea's don't exist here in the wilderness... you can only find the dried out ones... I could feel a fire inside me wanting to make the quickest most delicious chickpea hummus the world has ever known, and could remember Jamie Oliver's recipe with yoghurt.. yes yoghurt... and how everyone was puzzled and amazed when I told them that secret ingredient..

For some reason, I haven't been able to find that recipe online anywhere... (I just checked again.. and it is nowhere!) I remember something along the lines of 1 tin of chickpeas, 1 tbsp Tahini, 3 tbsp Greek Yoghurt, Salt, Lemon and Garlic to taste. All very easy, and as it turns out my secret ingredient, is now no longer secret... There are whole articles comparing the goodness of yoghurt or no yoghurt in hummus. So I won't add anything further, other than mine is the best because, I made Homemade Greek Yoghurt and then added it! Yum...

Anyway, first time round.. I was still in city mode... lets get this done as quickly as possible... (pressure cooker, baking soda, more pressure cooker) as it turns out... the faster you try to cook chickpeas.. the worse it is for your digestion.. and actually, despite all of the tricks.. it makes no sense to make a quick hummus to then be excusing yourself from the table every two minutes...

What makes this recipe super special is that the hummus is baked in the oven... I have never known anyone to make it this way, yet it was very easy, filling and warming. I have to admit, that along with my recipe book, I had also lost the source of this divine hummus recipe and I was only able to salvage the recipe due to saving it on a recipe app I was using once..... which also cleverly saved the source! Here's to Ghillie Basan for the most delicious hummus recipe yet! Click here for the book!

Baking Hummus

Hot Housewife Tips!

My adaptations to the recipe as I find it the easiest way to remember that; we don't always have everything at hand, everything can be done slightly differently, and there are some things that just can never be left out!

I have now accepted (as the chickpea had to in Rumi's poem) that letting the chickpeas rest over night in water, (1 1/ inch extra water over the chickpeas) makes them softest, most delicious, and easier to digest. And when done properly the cooked chickpea is divine, and so is this hummus. 

After resting all night long, and washing away the water and the white stuff (I haven't bothered to work out what it is although I am quite sure it is unwanted) the next step is to boil the chickpeas... usually for 45 minutes in the pressure cooker on a low heat or for an hour and a half in a normal pot. For extra deliciousness add one or two bay leaves to the pot and some crushed garlic to let the chickpeas start to absorb the delicious flavours...

Chickpea conversion : Turns out... everyone has a different version! 

My version, in my climate, is 125g dried chickpeas = 1 tin of chickpeas (400g including water 240g without)

Some minor changes to the recipe: I always wait until the chickpeas, tahini and Greek yoghurt are fully mixed before adding any ingredients that might change the taste... I also only have a hand blender and it becomes quite dangerous blending each teaspoon in electrically!... I find hand mixing with a big spoon much safer, and easier option to stop and taste the garlic, lemon, salt , pepper, etc and bring the hummus to the perfect flavour.

The rest is super easy, super fast, super delicious, super yum! Enjoy!

The Hottest Hummus Around... Smokin!

Flash Frying the Chickpeas in Olive Oil and Paprika

Serves 4-6 

2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed  (250g dried Chickpeas)

2tsp Cumin Seeds (I used ground Cumin as I did not have these to hand)

4 Cloves of Garlic Crushed

4 tbsp Olive Oil

Freshly Squeezed Juice of two Lemons

2 tbsp Tahini

6 tbsp thick creamy Greek Yoghurt (Homemade if possible!)

Salt and Black Pepper

2-3 tbsp Chickpeas to Garnish (or some Pine Nuts)

2 Bay leaves for soaking, and one extra Clove of Garlic
Paprika/Parsley/Corriander/Cumin to Garnish

Directions

If you have dried chickpeas start here:

1. Put 250g Chickpeas in a bowl and cover with 1 1/2 inch water, leave to rest overnight

2. In the morning, put the chickpeas, Bay leaves and 1 crushed garlic in a pan. For every cup of chickpeas, add 1 cup of water. Boil for 1 1/2 hours in a normal pan, or for 45 minutes in a pressure cooker on full heat until chickpeas are tender

If you have tinned chickpeas start here:

3. Preheat the oven to 200c/400f/Gas Mark 6

4. Blend Chickpeas in an electric blender

5. Add Cumin/Cumin Seeds and Olive Oil to the Chickpeas until its a thick paste

6. Add the Tahini and continue blending until the paste is very thick and smooth

7. Add the yoghurt and blend further until the mixture has loosened a little and it has a creamy texture

8. Season to taste with Garlic, Lemon Salt, Pepper

9. Tip the mixture into an oven proof dish (I like terracotta)

10. Take a handful of unwhizzed Chickpeas (or Pine Nuts) and flash fry in butter

11. Pour the chickpeas and butter over the hummus and pop into the pre-heated oven for around 25 minutes, you will notice the hummus rising in the oven
12. Garnish further (optional) with a selection of: Paprika, Cumin, Parsely, Corriander

12. Serve immediately with warm bread, olive oil, olives and lots of love! (Love is essential!)