Recipe: Homemade Hummus + Vegetarian Wrap

During Christmas lunch last year, I was more adventurous and served several tapas / light bites since I had extra help in the kitchen (Hubby and The Unc). Hubby is very fond of hummus, so instead of buying it from the supermarket I decided to try making it myself. I used a recipe out of a cookbook that I got from the Big Bad Wolf Sale.

Homemade Hummus with Pita bread

Our Christmas 2012 Lunch Menu

The Christmas Tapas Spread

Hummus is a Middle Eastern food dip or spread made from cooked chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), tahini paste, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. Hummus is high in iron and vitamin C and also has significant amounts of folate and vitamin B6. The chickpeas are a good source of protein and dietary fiber and the tahini consists mostly of sesame seeds, are an excellent source of the amino acid methionine, complementing the proteins in the chickpeas. Two to three tablespoons equate to one portion of the daily recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables. Eating too much chickpeas however, can give you wind so eat in moderation! ;P

Boiled chickpeas

Hummus is the new "kaya"..

When making hummus, I choose to use organic chickpeas, it only costs about RM1 more for every 400g. Making hummus is relatively easy as you only need to soak the chickpeas overnight, boil them, and then place it in the blender with the other ingredients. At Christmas time, we served the hummus with homemade pita bread (recipe soon), but on other days, we eat it with toast... Hubby calls it the new "kaya"! I've made hummus using this recipe a few times now, and each batch will usually last for 10 days. We like its smooth, creamy texture with a hint of garlic. Other than breakfast toast, we also like to use it as a spread on wraps (bonus recipe below hummus recipe).

Even Baby D likes having hummus for breakfast

Vegetable Wrap with Hummus (see recipe below)

Homemade Hummus (ḥummuṣ bi ṭaḥīna)
Recipe adapted from How to Eat In - Adam Byatt
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 1 1/2 - 2 hours
Makes about 500g

Ingredients
200g dried organic chickpeas
A pinch of table salt
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Juice of 2 lemons
75ml good quality extra virgin olive oil
150ml tahini paste
150-200ml cold water
Sea salt and cayenne pepper

To serve
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
Parsley, to garnish

1. Put the chickpeas into a tupperware/bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soak in the fridge overnight.

2. The next day, drain the chickpeas and tip into a large saucepan. Pour in plenty of cold water to cover the chickpeas well and add a pinch of salt. Bring up to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes. Simmer gently over low heat for 1 1/2 hours, until the chickpeas are soft. Drain and keep in a covered container in the fridge until ready to use.

3. Put the chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and tahini paste into a food processor and blend on full speed until the mix becomes smooth and creamy. Add the water little by little until you reach the texture you want; I used about 160ml. Season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper (a pinch should be sufficient).

4. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Drizzle with some EVOO and season with pepper before serving. Serve with pita bread, or with toast (cut into strips) or as a spread on wraps.

Vegetarian Wrap with Hummus
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Makes 2

Note: You can use any type of salad vegetables, the following is a general guideline. 

Ingredients
3 butterhead lettuce leaves, cut into 2 inch pieces
4-5 cherry tomatoes, chopped finely
6-8 grapes, quartered
3-4 sugar snap peas, cut into 3 parts
1/4 carrot, finely grated
2 tbsp homemade hummus (see recipe above)
2 pieces tortilla wrap

1. Spread 1 tbsp of hummus on each piece of tortilla wrap. Place all other ingredients on the wrap (in the centre), leaving some space on the side for folding.

2. Roll the wrap until a long cone is formed, then fold the ends to secure. Cut into half and serve immediately.