Hummus Amungus: A Spicy Taste of the Mediterranean
It is no secret that I adore hummus. I think if I had to pick a favorite food, hummus would be it. It even won us a bottle of rum in Jamaica! We played a newlywed game when we were on our honeymoon there and they asked Roberto what my favorite food was. When he thought about it, the most logical answer was hummus. When they asked me to guess what he said, I had to think about it for a minute. I mean I love all kinds of foods and have so many memories in my mind of different food experiences, it is hard to imagine choosing just one. But when I thought logically about what Roberto would have answered, I knew it had to be hummus, because it is the most consistent staple of my diet. I eat it almost daily, and it is not only filling and delicious, but it is really healthy and easy to grab when you have the munchies. Not only that, you can be as creative as you want with it. Purists may balk, but I say be adventurous with your hummus! So when I read that Tony Tahhan’s Taste of the Mediterranean event this month was focused on Lebanon (one of my favorite cuisines) and Hummus (my favorite food), I knew I was in!
I adore the original, unadulterated hummus. The one with just a few essential ingredients: chick peas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and salt, maybe a little water to thin it out. There is nothing better….except for when you add a little somethin’ somethin’. For this event, in honor of hummus and Jamaica, I have decided to add some special Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce we got while there (because I adore it) and adorn it with a few pine nuts for some added texture! bring on the heat!!!
INGREDIENTS:
1 can of chick peas, skinned (skinning them gives you that creamy texture!)
Β½ cup tahini
1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
1 tsp cumin
juice of 2 lemons (or more to taste)
2 cloves of garlic smashed and finely minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
as much scotch bonnet pepper sauce (or any other hot sauce – smooth or chunky) as you can handle. Harrisa would go great in this!
2 TBS toasted pine nuts for taste
METHOD:
Place all the ingredients, except the olive oil, hot pepper sauce and pine nuts, into a food processor. Blend until it is the desired consistency. (I prefer a smooth hummus, but hummus can also be chunky. If you prefer a really chunky hummus, I recommend using a mortar and pestle). Start streaming the olive oil in slowly. Add water by the teaspoon if the hummus is to dry or pasty. Place in a serving bowl, drizzle with hot pepper sauce, a little more olive oil and top with pine nuts.
Tracy - July 14, 2008 at 10:28 am
Gotta love hummus… mmmmm. Nice addition with the scotch bonnet peppers, I will have to try that as I heard these peppers are awesome.
beth - July 14, 2008 at 10:32 am
Hummus is one of my fave’s too. I bought some really good israeli hummus the other day at my local supermarket – v impressed, but making it yourself is still the best, and so easy!
nina - July 14, 2008 at 11:07 am
I love the addition of the peppers for heat and the pine nuts for crunch. Are pine nuts also expensive in your part of the planet.
Jeni - July 14, 2008 at 11:12 am
Wow I also made a spicy hummus this weekend (and my first attempt at tabbouleh). Must have been something in the air! I never thought about pine nuts. That sounds yummy!
Peter G - July 14, 2008 at 11:31 am
Hummus can only get better! Wow! adding the hot sauce is a great touch. I even like the idea of the pine nuts on top…great thinking Jenn.
Adam - July 14, 2008 at 11:44 am
I love seeing everyone’s representation of hummus. It is so simple, and you can change it to fit however you want. The pine nuts are awesome.
T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types - July 14, 2008 at 11:44 am
Harrisa sounds so good in this! Hummus is my all time favorite spread!
Dragon - July 14, 2008 at 11:46 am
I love the photo! The hummus looks like it’s glowing next to the deep red bowl. Spicy hummus? Yum!
John B - July 14, 2008 at 11:52 am
I love a good hummus too! I make mine with the addition of kalamata olives- SO GOOD!
Kat - July 14, 2008 at 12:27 pm
oh this is probably too hot for me but Matt would adore it!
nΓΒΊria - July 14, 2008 at 12:59 pm
I can’t believe it Jenn!!! I’m posting about hummus today… it’s taking me a bit longer than I thought, but posting about hummus and talking about you too!!!! Amazing, I love this casualties of life. Hopefully I’m back in the track this week π
I’ll go and check the Taste of Mediterranean and I might send mine too π
Although, Hummus is hummus and there’s no big differences right?
Gabi - July 14, 2008 at 2:52 pm
I’m a Humongous Hummus fan too! This looks exactly like what I want for lunch right now! I’ll go cross cultural and have it on some garlic naan…
Kaykat - July 14, 2008 at 4:09 pm
I know what you mean about the hummus addiction! I’ve gotten to the point where I only want to cook my chickpeas now, the can doesn’t quite cut it π
I love the idea of adding scotch bonnet sauce!
Lisa - July 14, 2008 at 5:27 pm
I share your passion for hummus. I’m not sure I have the patience to skin the chickpeas but I’m loving the scotch bonnet sauce!!
Leslie - July 14, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Oh yummo! Hummus kicked up a notch! You gotta love it!
Thanks for your comment on my blueberry pancakes
jen of a2eatwrite - July 14, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Great recipe! We brought back several bottles of scotch bonnet sauce after our Jamaican honeymoon, too! π Thanks, also, for the tip about skinning the chickpeas – I think that’s why my hummus has never been as smooth as I like it.
BTW… if you every come out to A2, we have a Lebanese restaurant that’s organic/all natural (he tries to be organic in all things, but a couple of things he couldn’t get in quantity, so he’s gone local instead). Apparently he’s the son of a very famous Beirut restaurateur. We love the food there.
Haley W. - July 14, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Spicy hummus!! A combination of two of the yummiest, tastiest flavors on earth. That’s just happy.
MyKitchenInHalfCups - July 14, 2008 at 9:49 pm
My latest hummus trick was to put a little chopped avocado in it. I’m very much with you on this on Jenn, hummus is most often the number one favorite.
Dharm - July 14, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Jenn, Spciy Hummus sounds great. Now see, instead of Harissa, use some Sambal Belacan!
[eatingclub] vancouver || js - July 14, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Wow, I love your ratcheted-up hummus.
MAG - July 15, 2008 at 12:48 am
Hommus mmmmmmmm… my favorite. In fact hommus was part of our dinner tonight π with hot sauce too!
Jude - July 15, 2008 at 2:16 am
Nice twist with the scotch bonnet sauce. Everything gets better with heat.
grace - July 15, 2008 at 5:39 am
GLORIOUS. hummus is one of my favorite foods as well, but i get picky about it. i’m happy to report that i approve of your recipe. π i love the addition of the pine nuts for crunch and the scotch bonnet sauce for HEAT. bravo! π
David Hall - July 15, 2008 at 6:51 am
Nice twist on hummus there Jenn, one of our favourite things too I have to say.
Cheers
David
Kimi - July 15, 2008 at 7:28 am
This looks great. One question, probably a dumb one, how do you skin the chickpeas?
janet ching - July 15, 2008 at 7:43 am
I have a rather dumb question here, where can I buy Tahini? I like hummus too and want to try to make some homemade ones. I have a pack of chick peas sitting at home for a long time already. Cheers
cookinpanda - July 15, 2008 at 8:46 am
Hummus is one of my favorites as well, and this sounds just perfect.
Ben - July 15, 2008 at 9:07 am
I have yet to try it. But you have convinced me. Today at the grocery store I am going to get some π
Bellini Valli - July 15, 2008 at 9:13 am
I rememeber watching the Newlywed Game on TV when I was a kid. It was always fun and the couples were sometimes overconfident on what they knew of each other even if they had been married for almost a year…mystery is good.Hummus is always in my fridge as well but not always made by yours truly..the Greek House Restaurant does it so well!!!!
Helen - July 15, 2008 at 11:30 am
I too say be adventurous with your houmous!! Scothc bonnet sauce is one of my faves too – such a fruity flavour.
Laurie - July 15, 2008 at 11:40 am
The first time I had hummus was on my honeymoon over 20 years ago. It is a great snack to have on hand! Yours looks especially wonderful in that beautiful red dish!
dawn - July 15, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Ohhh girl I admire you for eating those hot-bonnets!!! Yeow I can’t take those. I do love spicy things, but those hot-bonnets (as I call them) are waaaay too hot for me.
Fabulous! You go girl!
π
Lo (Burp!) - July 15, 2008 at 2:53 pm
I am such a huge fan of hummus… and one of the things I love best about it is its versatility.
Scotch bonnets are a great addition, in this Fire Breather’s opinion!
farida - July 15, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Nice twist in your hummus! I spicy and crunchy, I like it!
Esi - July 15, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Yum! I love spicy hummus!
The Leftover Queen - July 15, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Look at all you hummus lovers! π
Tracy, they are really good, and most people find them to be really hot. I do love them, but I also really love heat. So for the first time I’d be careful! π
True Beth! I have my favorite kinds that I get too, but I haven’t bought hummus in quite a while! I have too much fun making it at home!
Nina, they can be, but I find that when I buy them in bulk they aren’t too bad. I keep them in the freezer too, which lengthens their life.
Thanks Jeni! And tabbouleh! I love it! great for summer!
Thanks Peter G! I love spice and crunch, so I figured why not BOTH?
Thanks Adam – yeah, I love hummus and how creative people get with it too – there is just so much you can do!
Hey TW – yeah me too! Harrisa is so goooood!
Thanks Dragon! The red bowl really brought out the red of the scotch bonnet sauce! It is sooo good!
I love hummus with Kalamatas John B. So good!
Yeah, it is pretty hot Kat, but it is good in small doses, if you aren’ t into spicy.
Great minds think alike Nuria! yes, hummus is hummus – there are people who believe you should never add any extra flavors to it – beyond tahini, garlic and lemon (salt and pepper too) but I say throw caution to the wind! π
ohhhh, Garlic Naan – I love that stuff too Gabi!
Wow, Kaykat! That is impressive. I am sure I will get to that point sometime, but for now the organic canned beans work just fine for me!
Thanks Lisa! I am sure you can appreciate the heat! π
My pleasure Leslie! yes, kicked up hummus, gotta love it!
That restaurant sounds awesome Jen! I would so love to go there. yeah, once I started skinning them it completely changed the consistency of the hummus and it was perfect!
Thanks Haley – it made me pretty happy when I ate it! π
Sounds great Tanna – how can you go wrong with avocado?
Wow Dharm, thanks so much for the suggestion! I need to make more hummus soon and I am so gonna use Sambal Belacan!
Thanks so much JS!
Great minds think alike Mag! I am glad you liked it!
I totally agree Jude!
Thanks so much Grace – glad I passed the test! π
I know David, it is just such good stuff!
Kimi, actually if you just hold the chick pea in between your thumb and forefinger and lightly press, the chickpea pops right out!
Hmm Janet – I usually get it in the “ethnic” aisle at the grocery, but when I was living in the DC area, I used to get it at a Middle Eastern market.
Thanks so much cookinpanda!
Really, Ben, you never tried it? I think you are going to love it! π
LOL you are too cute Valli! We did awesome at the Newlywed game – I think we know each other tooo well!
You are right Helen, they do have a fruitiness to them once you get past the heat! They are my fave too!
it is the perfect snack, Laurie, you are absolutely right! And a honeymoon connection, how cool! π
Thanks Dawn! Yes, people usually remark at my penchant for eating hot stuff. I think I must have weird hot receptors in my mouth! LOL!
Thanks LO! I agree, I love the versatility too! π
Thanks Farida, it was good!
YAY, Esi! π
Hannah - July 15, 2008 at 9:04 pm
I literally eat hummus everyday, so perhaps I’ll shake things up a bit and try your spicy version. Sounds great!
Judy - July 16, 2008 at 8:06 am
his recipe looks good Jenn! T. would love it with the scotch bonnets in it!!!
Tony - July 16, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Thanks for submitting this recipe, Jenn!! The photograph is gorgeous and as I mentioned to you in my e-mail, I absolutely loved that you added the scotch bonnets and cumin! I’m looking forward to trying this recipe at home : )
Deborah - July 17, 2008 at 1:21 pm
I love hummus, and really need to eat it more often. This sounds like a delicious version!
Lynne J. - July 17, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Hey Jenn! *waving*
I am mad about hummus and yours looks great! I made Tabbouleh (a delicious Mediterranean salad) last weekend that goes perfectly with hummus. Actually, I also made my own version of hummus the same day, but since it disappeared before I had a chance to shoot it, I didn’t write about it. I also didn’t think it would be of much interest, but I was wrong about that, huh?
Cool story and post.
LJ
FlaNboyantEats - July 20, 2008 at 11:27 am
ho hum the hummus! who doesn’t love hummus! it’s the best snack in the world! only when i make it, it make way too much and end up having to throw some away. I HATE throwing food away but I can’t eat hummus 4 days in a row either. sigh.
i’m baaccck after two long weeks of travel and fulfilling super star requests (ok kidding)… glad to see ya!
Karen - July 25, 2008 at 8:43 pm
I really love hummus as well and have made it from scratch in the past. I like the idea of personalizing it though, because it’s the kind of food which is so easy to add wonderful flavors too.
Lindsay - September 7, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Hi, I just stumbled across your blog on the internet. I realize this comment is coming more than a year late, but I was wondering if you tried making homemade hummus when you were living in Norway, and if so, which stores could you find tahini, etc. in? I am living near Oslo for the next year and the food I miss the most from the US is the hummus! I bought some here when I found it at a store, but it was AWFUL, so I want to make it homemade. I’m just not sure if the ingredients will be too hard to come by…it would be great if you could help me out! Thanks