Slightly Garlicky, Blissfully Satisfying Hummus

Learn To Make Naturally Vegan Hummus and Find Vegetarian Nirvana

To make hummus, a blender stick is great, but you could also use a blender, food processor, food mill, potato masher - anything to pulverize the beans. Blending is good because the hummus comes out very smooth, but texture is good too. A rubber spatula helps get every last bit out of the blender or the mixing bowl.

I like a blender stick best because I can just put everything together at once in the hummus storage container and whiz away - and it's fast. The blender stick I use is made by Braun - it's powerful enough to make hummus without breaking.

I cook my own beans, making enough to freeze for other culinary adventures. Cookng instructions are included, but canned beans will do - drain and rinse, and substitute water for the liquid. If you want to double the recipe, make a second batch, otherwise you may work your blender to death! Hummus keeps, tightly sealed, in the fridge for a week - not that it usually lasts that long!

Ingredients:

• 2 - 3 cups cooked and drained garbanzo beans (*directions below), or canned beans drained and rinsed
• 3 - 6 Tblsp bean cooking liquid or water - how much liquid you need depends on the amount of moisture in the beans. Canned beans tend to be very moist, beans you cook yourself are less so.
• 2 or more Tblsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 or more Tblsp olive oil
• 2 or more cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 - 3 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper or to taste
• 1 tiny pinch cayenne
• 1/4 - 1/2 c. unroasted sesame tahini

Directions:

1. Rinse and drain the beans in a wire colander
2. Put the beans, salt & pepper, cayenne and 3 Tblsp bean liquid or water in a deep 4 qt pitcher or other container, or in the blender jar if you're using one
3. Heat the chopped garlic in the olive oil until lightly roasted
4. Add the cumin powder to the oil
5. Add the hot oil & spices to the beans
6. Rinse the pan with the lemon juice and add it to the beans
7. Making hummus in a blender: Blend everything EXCEPT THE TAHINI. Use the pulse setting, alternately pulsing and pokimg until smoothly blended. Add a little extra liquid, 1 Tblsp at a time, if the mixture is too thick to blend easily. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the mixture into a bowl, and thoroughly mix in the tahini
8. Making hummus with a blender stick: add all the ingredients to your deep container, and pump the blender stick up and down until it's smooth - a noisy, but fulfilling experience.
9. Adjust seasonings to taste

*Garbanzo Bean Cooking Directions:

1. Note: This recipe makes enough beans for a second batch, or to freeze, or to make soup or tabouleh.
2. Using a pressure cooker greatly reduces cooking time, but don't omit the soaking!
3. Soak 1 c. of garbanzo beans 4 - 8 hours. Quick Soak: Bring the beans and soaking water to a boil, turn off the heat, cover, and soak for one or two hours.
4. Drain & rinse the soaked beans, cover with cold water to cover & bring to a boil
5. Boil ten minutes & skim the foam
6. Cover & simmer the beans for 1 - 2 hours, until they're falling-apart tender