Hummus - good recipes or should I just buy it?

[TigerDrankAllTheWaterInTheTap]

I was thinking of making a big bowl of hummus when we have some friends round soon. I'm doing a buffet. I've made it before and it was fine, but not wonderful. Is it worth making it rather than buying it, and if so does anyone have a good recipe?

Thanks in advance!

So worth making it!

Tin of chickpeas (reserve a couple of tsps), good glug of extra virgin, tbsp tahini or peanut butter, pinch of salt, half tsp of garlic powder or a clove crushed, couple of tsps lemon juice. Whizz in a blender, check taste and texture, stick in a bowl, put the unused chickpeas on top and a drizzle of oil.

That will make more than a pot you’d buy, plenty as a dip. We sometimes have a dish for dinner with carrot sticks and toasted pitta.

Thanks! That's not dissimilar to what I've used before. I added cumin, which I love. I've never quite got the texture right but must persevere.

Cumin is amazing. One of my favourite smells.

I mix the recipe up every time. Paprika for depth, cumin and more garlic for spice and zing, more lemon juice and ground coriander for more zest.

I like it smooth and wet enough to dip things in so I add water, lemon juice and olive oil to loosen it if it’s too stiff. I prefer it with peanut butter to tahini but it depends on tie flavour you prefer.

I sort of prefer the smoother texture of the shop brought stuff but then I discovered if I cooked the chickpeas up first and blended while still hot the result was much smoother and more dip like.

I have sober hours and many runs of chickpeas making houmiys, much asAnne has described. It’s never been much good, usually bland and stodgy.

Whichever way you decide I recently had a wonderful plate of it, it had olive oil drizzled over, sprinkled in smoked paprika with a small heap of pomegranate on top...yum!

If you want to make it seasonal, add some roasted pumpkin or squash to the basic recipe, fresh coriander and cumin. A few ice cubes dropped in at the whizzing up stage makes it smooth without having to skin the chickpeas ( the other way of making it smooth).

I make my own. I buy my tahini in a world food shop as you get more for your money than at a supermarket.

The trick to light and fluffy is to whip the tahini in the blender first with the lemon juice AND to use about half of the tahini that most recipes suggest. Then add the rest of the ingrediants.

Thanks again, all!

To get really smooth hummus you need to boil a tin of chickpeas for 10 minutes so they get soft. Drain but reserve the liquid then slip the skins off each chickpea by pinching them at the pointed end and throw the skins away. In a food processor mix 4 tablespoons of lemon juice and 4 tablespoons of tahini and blend until it goes fluffy. Add the warm chickpeas in 2 additions scraping the sides of the bowl inbetween. Add 2 fat cloves of pureed garlic, 1 tsp salt, pinch of cumin and 2 tablespoons of the chickpea liquid then let the food processor run for about 5 minutes until it's smooth and creamy, finally add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, blend and it's done. It freezes really well too.

Thanks, Cinnamomo, that sounds quite time-consuming but might be worth a go - texture is the main thing I feel I've never got right, although I expect a lifetime of eating industrially produced hummus is responsible for that.

People don't eat much typically (so filling)& then it doesn't keep or store that well, so watch your quantities carefully. I hate wasting food, anyway.

I've just started making my own as it's sooooo quick and easy.

I use a drained jar of chickpeas, clove of garlic, tablespoon of tahini (though substituted peanut butter is also v nice), juice of 1.5 lemons, salt and pepper and enough olive oil to get the preferred consistency. All whizzed with a stick blender.

I also followed this recipe but added half a jar of sundried tomatoes to make a delicious tomato hummus!

I also add cumin and paprika...!

I just but it and add crushed garlic lemon juice, paprika, salt and pepper

I whizz mine in a nutribullet to get it really smooth. I use a tin of chickpeas, tahini and olive oil, plus lemon juice and salt; enough seasoning makes all the difference.

I made some with sun dried tomatoes recently (from a jar, used the oil from the jar too) which was delicious.

A houmous placemark. I’ve never got the texture quite right either.

Love the peanut butter idea.

At the end, add in a few tablespoons of iced water, it is amazing how much it improves the texture. I was sceptical until I tried it, the whole mix seems to be lighter and more spreadable.

Helen, why does it need to be iced water?

Bought a hummous recipe book in September and I'm working my way through it. Such variety.

Best tweaks include adding a dash of tomato paste (makes it pink!); a few olives; a spoon of sauerkraut (and juice).

It's very versatile, so I make lots. Thicker, it can be a side dish to roasted meats. Thin it a bit (tbspn warm water) to use as a sandwich spread, thin more to drizzle over steamed veggies or as a salad dressing.

Homemade makes store-bought taste like creamy sawdust, for mine. Whole different ballgame.

I had amazing home made hummus recently and the chef confirmed the tedium of taking off the skins is the game changer. I realised I like an afternoon of not picking out bits more than I like home made hummus, so I buy it.

@doublethink Yotam Ottolenghi says ice-cold water is the best way to bring about smooth and creamy hummus. I usually like his recipe so I tried it and thought it really improved my hummus. ottolenghi.co.uk/blog/make-hummus-kitchen-notes-chickpea-pedant/