Hummus (2)

1-3/4 cups dried chickpeas (garbanzos)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sesame tahini
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3-4 cloves garlic, mashed
1 tablespoon quality extra-virgin olive oil

Soak the chickpeas for 8 hours with the baking soda in cold water to cover.

Bring the chickpeas to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, cover, and cook until soft, about 45 minutes. Drain, reserving a bit of the liquid.

Make the tahini sauce: Blend in a food processor or blender the tahini, cold water, lemon juice, cumin, and garlic. Measure out 1/2 cup of this sauce for the hummus, saving the rest.

Put the drained chickpeas in a food processor and process to a rough puree, adding a little of the cooking liquid if necessary. The mixture should not be totally smooth. Add the tahini sauce and process until just mixed. Scrape the mixture into a bowl. Stir in the olive oil.

Serve with pita bread, whole-grain crackers, or carrot sticks.

10 servings

Nutritional Information:

Per serving:
102 calories
5 g total fat (1 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
11 g carbohydrate
4 g protein
3 g fiber
150 mg sodium