Hummus with three toppings

By: Amanda Ruben
From: Feasting
Serves: 6–8
Photographer: Elisa Watson

Originating in the Mediterranean and Middle East during ancient times, hummus has become a household staple, and everyone has their own ideas of what should go into it. I’m a stickler for tradition and don’t believe in anything other than chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt and water. But you can elevate your hummus with any of these three toppings, each adding their own unique flavours to your humble chickpea purée.

Hummus

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
250g	dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water
1 teaspoon	bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
2 teaspoons	salt
1/2	garlic clove, roughly chopped
205g	Tahini dip
	juice of 3 lemons
200ml	iced water
	sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Method

Put the chickpeas in a saucepan over medium heat with the bicarbonate of soda and stir gently until it dissolves.
Cover the chickpeas with water and bring to the boil. Remove any foam that forms on the surface, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until cooked, about 30–40 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain the chickpeas.
In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, salt and garlic, and process until a thick paste forms. With the machine still running, add the tahini dip, lemon juice and iced water. Process for another 3–5 minutes, until smooth. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Serve the hummus on its own or with a topping.

Dried spiced lamb

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
2	tablespoons, olive oil
1	small onion, finely chopped
1	garlic clove, finely grated
1 teaspoon	ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon	ground cumin
1 teaspoon	sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon	ground chilli
1/2 teaspoon	salt
200g	minced (ground) lamb
1 tablespoon	pomegranate molasses
	juice of 1/2 lemon
	seeds of 1/2 pomegranate, to garnish
1 teaspoon	dried spearmint, to garnish

Method

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and gently sweat the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Add all the spices, fry for another 2 minutes, then add the lamb.
Continue frying the lamb to a very dry consistency, about 10 minutes. Remove form the heat, then stir through the molasses and lemon juice.
Sprinkle the lamb over the hummus and finish with the pomegranate seeds and dried spearmint.

Chickpea and zhoug

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
110g	dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water

Zhoug

Quantity	Ingredient
30g	coriander (cilantro) leaves and stems, finely shredded
20g	flat-leaf (italian) parsley, finely shredded
10g	mint, finely shredded
1	long green chilli, seeds removed and finely diced
1	large french shallot, finely diced
1 teaspoon	ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon	ground cardamom
190ml	olive oil
	juice of 1/2 lemon
3/4 teaspoon	caster (superfine) sugar
1/2 teaspoon	salt

Method

To make the zhoug, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl.
Place the chickpeas in a saucepan with 750 ml (25½ floz/3 cups) cold water and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat to medium–high and cook for 5 minutes or until tender, removing any foam that forms on the surface.
Drain the chickpeas and mix with the zhoug until completely coated. Scatter over the hummus.

Hard-boiled egg, carrot and red harissa

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
2	eggs
3	small carrots, cut into 3 mm (1/8 in) slices
1 teaspoon	salt
1 heaped tablespoon	red harissa paste
2 tablespoons	olive oil
	juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon	sweet paprika, to garnish
1/2 teaspoon	black sesame seeds, to garnish

Method

Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Gently drop in the eggs and boil for 9 minutes. Drain the eggs, refresh in cold water and leave to cool before carefully peeling and cutting into quarters.
Put the carrots in a small saucepan of water. Add the salt and bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to medium and cook for 6 minutes or until very tender
In a small bowl, combine the harissa paste with the sliced carrots, oil and lemon.
Pile the mixture on top of the hummus and sprinkle with the sweet paprika and black sesame seeds to garnish.