This Middle Eastern chickpea purée or hummus is great served with toasted pitta bread, with super fresh and crisp vegetable crudites or as part of a selection of hors d'oeuvres. Hummus should be kept chilled if you are keeping it overnight and used up within 2 days of making.
Ingredients
- 175g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water, drained, and cooked in fresh water until tender. reserve the cooking liquid
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed to a paste
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 150ml of tahini (sesame seed paste)
- 1 tsp roasted and coarsely ground cumin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tblsp olive oil
- 2 tblsp chopped coriander
- Pinch of paprika
- Pinch of tiny or finely chopped mint leaves
- Pinch of marjoram leaves
Method
- Tahini quality varies greatly, so try and find an authentic brand. Once the container has been opened, store it covered in the fridge.
- Place the drained chickpeas and garlic in a food processor with 4 tablespoons of the cooking water. Add half of the lemon juice and purée.
- Add the tahini, cumin, a good pinch of salt and blend again. If necessary, add a little more of the cooking water to achieve a smooth purée. The mixture should not be too dry. It should have a slightly creamy appearance and just hold its shape on a spoon.
- Taste and add more lemon juice and salt as needed. Fold in the chopped coriander by hand.
- Serve drizzled with olive oil and a dusting of paprika and scatter over the mint and marjoram leaves.
- When serving the Chickpea and Coriander Purée with Roast Lamb, the purée can be prepared ahead of time and kept at room temperature.
- Just before serving, add a little boiling gravy to the purée to warm it and soften it very slightly.
- Omit the mint and marjoram leaves.
- Serve with the carved lamb and more gravy.
- Mint relish is a great accompaniment to the Roast Lamb and the Chickpea Purée.
