Hummus

Hummus is the Arab word for chickpea. But now 'Hummus' is almost synonymous with the dip. The history of hummus extends across the Mediterranean, as far as India, and reaches back thousands of years. While many cultures worked to perfect the recipe, it remains basically the same: Chickpeas, olive oil, sesame tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. The spices and garnishes often vary, but this is an excellent version, if not the best hummus recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cups of canned chickpeas
1 lemon
1 med. clove garlic crushed
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp Tahini 3 tbsp olive oil 1/2 tsp paprika

Method:
Boil beans in canned water for 5-7 min. Drain half of water. Pour beans into blender, add lemon, garlic, tahini and 1 tbsp of olive oil . Puree until smooth (2-3 min), adding a little of the reserved liquid if the mixture seems too thick though, it will be slightly grainy. Season with salt and pepper.

Serving Tips:
Place in a shallow bowl and let it stand for half an hour to cool. Sprinkle paprika and pour 2 Tbsp. of olive oil on top. Garnish with parsley. Serve with toasted Pita, cucumbers, green olives, tomatoes and fete cheese.

Note:
You can make tahini paste in a food processor or blender by grinding toasted sesame seeds. Toast the sesame seeds over medium heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes.