RFI: making hummus (recipes, techniques, etc.)

Every time I do this it turns out decent, but A) not incredble B) NOTHING like the stuff I've had at restaurants. But it's sad when the stuff in the overpriced tiny containers tastes better than the stuff I wind up with in my food processor. What do I do? What are some things that you guys do to make the Perfect Hummus?

1) Emulsify the tahini/olive oil/lemon juice mixture first
2) Restaurant hummus is tasty because they use much more oil than you might at home.
3) (My usual foible) Hold off on the garlic. One clove per 28 oz cooked garbanzo beans is fine.

You're probably already doing this, but if you're using canned chickpeas, it helps the flavor if you rinse all the can gunk off of them.

HEY speaking of canned chickpeas, I rinse them, but I also always have the urge to hull them, like to pinch off the skins. How do we feel about leaving them in versus hand-cleaning the whole damn can??

I think that chore probably stops me from making hummus more often?

Oh Jesus Christ, I've never skinned the things. That sounds like an amazing pain in the ass, a PITA to go with your pita.

I definitely do the emulsion first, but part of my gripe is that my stuff always tastes so olive-oily and I don't really like it. Should I be using something more neutral than extra-virgin? Also thinking about sauteeing or roasting the garlic next time and trying that. And yeah, I def always rinse the gunk off.

I've been told making it in a blender > making it in a food processor but this is laughably impossible with the blender that we own and it seems silly to start using one contraption and finish in another. I've also been told individually peeling the skins off of each chickpea makes a much nicer hummus but like, are you fucking kidding me?

Laurel, if you actually have the patience/drive to de-skin the whole, can DO IT plz and tell us how it turns out! I was working with a cup of dried chickpeas which turned out to be, like, 3 cups cooked. And like 10 minutes later I wasn't even 1/3 of the way there.

Also how much variance is there in brands of canned chickpeas?

Sigh. I know, but so many of them start to come off in the rinsing and then I'm like, "Might as well take that gross debris out of the strainer", and then the more I handle them, the more skins come free, and by the end I'm like washing 5 at a time in my hands and sloughing off the hulls obsessively.

Can't leave well enough alone, I guess.

I'm sure it would be like 5x easier to make it with the skins ON and then press the results through a wide-meshed strainer of some kind, if you really wanted to get it nice and smooth.

Surely there are some important vitamins or minerals or whatever in the skins? Not that I know one way or the other, but that seems to be the case with pretty much everything else fruit/veg/legumey...

Should I be using something more neutral than extra-virgin?

Yes!

if you throw the chick peas in boiling water for a couple of minutes, some of the skins will come off right away and it'll make it easier to pinch the rest of them off (once they cool down). but peeling does seem pretty insane while you are doing it.

Texturally the biggest difference is using a Vitamix. But that is $$$ so ymmv.

I just gave it another go, and the tahini/lemon cream always turns out like a tahini/lemon butter. Like it's thick and spreadable and solid. Am I overprocessing? Can you overblend hummus? I usually let it run for a minute or two...

Should I be using something more neutral than extra-virgin?

Yes!

Wait, what should we be using??

well when do you guys add the oil? i just put some on at the end? is that wrong

I put it in the food processor with the other stuff.

You might try 1/3 evoo and 2/3 canola or standard olive oil. 100% evoo can be really cloying. Maybe add a bit more lemon juice to thin your tahini emulsion?

Add the canola oil (my main cooking oil, inexpensive, neutral taste and its got the best n-3:n-6 ratio among heat tolerant oils) while making the emulsion, before adding the chickpeas.

Reading ingredients from my favorite, least healthy store-bought: Sabra's Spinach and Artichoke Hummus

Chickpeas, Soybean and/or Canola Oil, Tahini, Red & Green Bell Peppers, Spinach, Cucumber, Salt, Garlic, Onion, Artichoke, Lemon Juice, Spices, preservatives

No olive oil present. More neutral oil than Tahini(!). 71% of calories from fats. Interesting ways of adding sweetness (in the peppers & cucumber). Little garlic or lemon juice. Its nothing like the typical 3/4 beans, 1/4 tahini, heavy garlic/lemon juice, and a bit of olive oil recipe we normally see from Mediterranean cookbooks. It uses the tahini to make a emulsion originally closer to mayonnaise in fat content.

The reason we love restaurant/storebought hummus: its seriously more a dip than a staple. You'll clog the hell out of your arteries eating it.

I don't think there's an easy way of making a healthy (low-fat) super tasty hummus unless you do something fairly odd and make an entirely different ingredient from tahini the focus. I've done this by adding entire bunches of cilantro to a batch, making something more like a cross between hummus and coriander chutney. At some point the chick peas are just a dilute binding factor, and its not really hummus anymore.

I also like using a mix of white beans and garbanzos - run both through a coarse sieved food mill first which takes care of most of the skins, then immersion blender (only have a teeny tiny food processor) everything. I also start with everything at room temp, don't know how much that matters though.

i don't like that creamy style hummus, particularly. my favorite aspect of hummus is the garlicky/lemony/olive oil taste. so, i would add more garlic than a given recipe calls for (making sure it's fresh juicy cloves) and use entirely or mostly evoo and experiment with the lemon juice to taste. no need to get all american's test kitchens obsessive imo, unless that is your bag. to me one of the huge appeals of making hummus is the fact of its simplicity of preparation (not too mention low $)

HEY speaking of canned chickpeas, I rinse them, but I also always have the urge to hull them, like to pinch off the skins. How do we feel about leaving them in versus hand-cleaning the whole damn can??

I think that chore probably stops me from making hummus more often?

― I've got ten bucks. SURPRISE ME. (Laurel), Friday, November 5, 2010 12:00 PM

u should cook them first. boil them for 20 min or so and the skins practically fall off. no skins = smoother hummus and less gas (_!_)=333

I like to add cumin

i don't believe that hummus really requires any oil, though it does improve the consistency. my dad's basic recipe (acquired during years spent in beirut) was 1/1/3, one part tahini, one part lemon juice, 3 parts chick peas. plus a ton of garlic. makes a delicious hummus, but thick and not terribly creamy, no matter how long you blend it.

recipe i've worked out, based on his, is more like 1/1/4, going slightly scant on the lemon juice. love the emulsion idea, never done that (duh me), but another way to improve the creaminess of your hummus is simply to add a little bit of water and olive oil as you blend. blend for a frigging ETERNITY, adding dribs & drabs of water/oil as you go, until creaminess is achieved. works very well.

and yeah, cumin & red pepper can be nice for flavor.

nor have i ever tried dehulling the chick peas. will try that & the pre-emusifying bit next time i make it.

i tried that emulsion method and it didn't really appear to do anything... but i have questions about tahini: i bought fresh stuff, but it was pricey, and i only used a little bit and then it went all moldy and gross in a couple days. so then i bought the stuff in a jar, but i have no idea how long it keeps for. it seems to have a lot of oil sitting on top of it. i've had it in the fridge (opened) for months and it seems to be okay?? but yeah, i can't seem to make a decent hummus.

tahini is like peanut butter: refrigerated or not, it should stay good for a looooooong time. stir the oil back in before using.

My favorite is the brand called Joyva because a) it is the only brand commonly available in supermarkets B) it is called JOYVA and it makes me feel happy when I use it!

used to buy joyva (love the mustache guy!) but now prefer al wadi

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj242/donaldparsley/joyva.jpg

^ want this t-shirt tho

the oil on top acts as a preservative iirc? i keep tahini in the cupboard, opened, for months at a time and haven't died of sesame poisoning yet.

OK about to give this another go, abandoning recipe and using the 1:1:4 lemon : tahini : chickpeas ratio. Before I do this:

A) the lemon-tahini cream should be thick and mayonnaisey, right?
B) can you overprocess hummus? I'd love to just let it run for 10 min and get smooooooth as possbible but am worried about aerating/whipping it.
C) 1:1:4 is by weight, correct? 1/4c lemon juice and 1/4c tahini seems like a bit much for 1c chickpeas but maybe the weights will work out diff. Idk.

1:1:4 is by volume, like cups or quarter cups. you could probably reduce the tahini, but i think it throws the flavor off.

i think it's impossible to overblend hummy in ten minutes. that tahini amount does sound a little high, but so does the lemon juice, for one cuppa chickpeas. no garlic? salt? i always use a splash o'water and oil, too, but i guess that conversation already happened....

xpost

salt is definitely key for making anything

yeah, re lemon juice: i do recommend going a little soft on the one-part-per bit (and did upthread when i 1st suggested this recipe). i like super-lemony hummus, but others may not. citrus and garlic flavors flavors fade quite a bit by day 2, if you make enough to save.

i agree with just sayin's recommendation of salt. also i am pretty sure the best hummus has roasted garlic as that adds a kind of smokey taste in addition to sweetness and savory of garlic. i would think that in a bean composition the pre-emulsifying of whatever liquids is overkill as i have never found a problem incorporating the oil/tahini/lemon juice plus i would think unless you vary the quantities of these elements the end taste will be the same regardless of adding before or after beans. as far as hulling them you guys are a bit overkill with that too, but i have noticed as stated above that boiling will agitate them enough that you can just skim the hulls off the liquid. that said i have never noticed them to be a 'problem' if blended well enough. perhaps the dullness of canned food is what yr really grappling with so definitely try good ol' salt and pepper which is easy as you can take a previously dull batch and just add it now to see how that changes it

also at the restaurants there is a reddish orange powder sprinkled over top in most cases. is this saffron or paprika? that may also add a smokey note

Def paprika. Might help!

Adding some toasted sesame oil can also be good for smokiness.

And, if you can find sumac, it's got a sharp lemony flavor that goes really well and is a traditional spice.

Donna Klein's roasted red pepper hummus is good. Just made 2 batches while trying out a new pressure cooker.

Briefly, halve and seed 2 red bell peppers, and roast skin up at 400°F until skins blister and begin to char. Tightly bag in paper, wait 20 minutes, and remove thin skin. In food processor, process 2 cups cooked/19 oz can chickpeas til smooth, adding less than (my emphasis) 1/4 cup veggie broth. Add peppers, 1/2 tsp cumin, 3 Tbsp lemon juice, 3 Tbsp tahini, 2 cloves minced garlic, tabasco & salt to taste, and process smooth. In serving bowl, add 1/4 cup chopped scallions and 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro.

Oh, and the scallions and cilantro are just mixed in (by hand, not processed).

I would eat sabra hummus with a trowel

I've tried all sorts of hummus methods, I used to have to make it for a living but we had a giant kitchen and plenty of ingredients. It still wasn't as good as the creamy restaurant hummus. I gave up, it isn't worth it to make something with so much yummy oil all the time at home, may as well settle for less unless you are throwing a party. I still make it, just water it down and heat it up and put a little oil and paprika on top, it's good enough. I got burned making hummus for other people, someone bitched about all my lemon (I put lemon on everything), I'll never do that again!

Of course most pita you get at supermarkets tastes like cardboard. Cardboard pita: drizzle with oil and a bit of water and throw in microwave for 10-15 seconds.

yea i just made some pitas sunday: tricky

guys I'm so sick of this peanut-buttery Joyva tahini shit and think that in order to up my hummus game I need to switch brands. Does anyone have faves/suggestions/etc?

also it is sort of stunning how awful grocery store hummus is. I mean I know homemade everything is always better but the difference--not just quality of, but difference--in tastes is crazy profound.

made hummus yesterday with fresh green peas instead of chickpeas, and infused really light olive oil with mint, no garlic, and i crumbled a little feta on top. AMAZING.

My technique: wait until my wife makes hummus, then eat what she makes. This approach always turns out well for me.

i just realized that i have never once made hummus

If you have a food processor it is super easy

Peas taste like stinky feet to me and make me gag.

Re: dehulling- it's mostly a texture thing (added smoothness); another thing you can do towards this is mix in a little baking soda when you cook the chickpeas.

If you are using dried beans (which you should. I know, pain in the ass, but it pays off), rinse them in a strainer and then let them sit in a bowl of cold water and agitate a bit- the skins should rise to the top and are easily skimmed off. Repeat as many times as you have patience for.

sorry- insert "after cooking" in 2nd part up there

i love tahini

Oh Jesus Christ, I've never skinned the things. That sounds like an amazing pain in the ass, a PITA to go with your pita.

― 17th Century Catholic Spain (Abbbottt), Friday, November 5, 2010 12:01 PM (2 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

underrated post

I was reading the hummus article in the WaPo today (it's kind of terrible) but some people in the comments talk about baking soda in the water while cooking the dry chickpeas!? And also some people cook the chickpeas in the can ( see someone mentions that above). I've been in a hummus rut and just read through this thread and may try the no olive oil approach. On the British Family cooking show (or whatever it's called) one of the families used ice to make it creamier which also seems strange.

I always de-skin the chickpeas but I like to do it in front of the tv so it makes it seem like I am not just sitting there watching tv.

Next time I make it I will start with the food mill as suggested upthread.

Update on my hummus practice:

Now that I've found cheaper tahini (~$3.50/lb), I now dispense entirely with any added oil. The same brand is availale for $3.60-4.35/lb shipped online.

I've also have embraced high-power immersion blenders for making creamy hummus bi tahini without blender/food processor cleanup. I've had the Cuisinart for over a decade, but I want the Bamix. Cleanup is so much easier that I've given my blender and food processor away. So for a week's worth, in a 6+ qt bowl suitable for storage and serving:

Start with 1/2 cup tahini, 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons), 1/4 water, 1-2 cloves garlic (peeled)
Emulsify with the immersion blender, result should have consistency of pancake batter
Drain 28 oz chickpeas (or 2 14 oz cans), toss in, and start blending in with the blender
Thin just to blendable consistency with the aquafaba drained from the beans. It won't need much.
Plain variant: add salt to taste. Dusted with paprika and plated with oil, its pretty much local restaurant hummus.

Olive variant: use brine from kalamata olives to thin, stir in a few chopped olives
Hot variant: top with sambal ooleek (the ripe jalepeno paste from the Huy Fong Sriracha guys)
Levant variant: top with za'atar (the wild thyme/sumac/sesame spice mix)

The baking soda idea was brought west from Israel by restaurateur Alon Shaya. It works. His sous chefs also skin the chickpeas.

Personally, I'm willing to use canned for 90% of pleasure with 10% of the effort. I believe biggest problem with most recipes and grocery hummus is that neither we nor the manufacturers are using enough tahini. Not surprising, given the cost.

stainless steel stick blenders absolutely rule, they take about a minute to wash vs all pissing about with cleaning container processors, when you are already making lots of washing up while you cook.

I never measure the tahini and I think for two cans of chickpeas it's probably 2 heaping tablespoons. Hmm going to skip the olive oil and just do the tahini next. I do put in a lot more garlic. Probably 2 cloves per can. I like the burn. I made some really good hummus with roasted red pepper a month ago.

I use four times as much tahini. The whole dish should taste strongly of sesame butter.

Baking soda for beans in general is to make the skins less tough, I believe.

Something I hit upon last time I made hummous- you know how vegans make meringue with chickpea water? It can also be used to make mayo. Basically it’s an emulsifier. I puréed some chickpeas and put them aside, and then made an emulsification in the cuisinart of lemon juice, chickpea water, salt, tahini, garlic et c just like a mayo. Added the purée gradually with olive oil after it had whipped up. Wound up with the best, fluffiest hummous texture I’ve ever managed.

I would love to hear some more chickpeas recipes, I'm stockpiling dry and tinned ones for the forthcoming famine.

xpost Yeah I am going to start with a quarter cup of tahini next and keep working my way up. It's the fear of the fat!

xp a fairly large amount of what I cook is some variation on spinach and chickpeas

Yerac: Tahini is calorie dense, but the evidence indicates sesame and sesame oil aren't bad, healthwise.

Carrefour has a really good hummus that I think has lemon zest or lemon confit that is super good and fresh. I should try to replicate it.