I never liked hummus, rather, it never liked me. The store-bought stuff would make me feel heavy and bloated but I ate it anyway because I loved the flavor. A few years ago I learned that boiling chickpeas with kombu seaweed aids digestion. It provides the enzymes it needs to break down the oligosaccharides (the complex sugars that are hard for most to digest). Low and behold, after noshing on my first homemade batch I felt light enough to eat more (and more with an overjoyed enthusiasm that a non-hummus lover could never comprehend). There’s no stopping now.
Anything goes really; chips, veggies, crackers … crisp vegetables are my favorite. The creamy/crunchy combo is irresistible.
And so easy to make ahead for entertaining. Also delish in sandwiches with some sprouts and leftover roasted vegetables.
Basil, parsley, cilantro, artichoke, roasted eggplant, garlic, or jalapeno – any of these can easily be added to the food processor for a quick flavor transformation. When feeding a crowd I like to make half classic and the other cilantro with a good sprinkling of za’atar over the olive oil.
Not only is it perfect snack food it’s also a nutrition powerhouse with a long list of nutrients. Good fats (omega-3’s), amino acids, protein, fiber, Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B6, folate, potassium, iodine (when cooked with seaweed), magnesium, calcium, and iron just to name a few.
- 16 ounces (about 2 cups) dried chickpeas
- 1 3-inch long piece kombu seaweed
- 4 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup sesame seed paste
- 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (I use organic bottled lemon juice)
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- Garnish: extra-virgin olive oil and ground smoked paprika
- *Prep time includes soaking chickpeas - soaked chickpeas do yield best results, but if short on time used canned chickpeas, drained*
- Soak the chickpeas overnight (at least 12 hours), cover completely in water with at least an additional 2 inches of water above.
- Note on soaking: The chickpeas should be covered with this much water because as they sit they absorb the water and you do not want any of the chickpeas exposed to air otherwise they will not soften.
- Drain, then boil with fresh water and the kombu seaweed until al dente to soft (somewhere in between), about 30 minutes. Drain and discard the seaweed. Reserve a couple of tablespoons of chickpeas for garnish. Then while the chickpeas are still warm transfer drained chickpeas into a food processor. Process for a minute, then remaining ingredients.
- Pulse until smooth.
- Will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, sealed in an air-tight container.
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