I love hummus because it’s creamy and yummy. It’s very healthy too. I eat it almost every day. Hummus is made from cooked chickpeas and tahini (sesame seeds paste) then mixed with some lemon juice and garlic. You can buy it in most supermarkets and order it in many restaurants, but actually it’s very easy (and fun!) to make yourself.

Here is a very simple recipe:

1. Drain 1 tin (about 400g) of chickpeas and put them in a food processor.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, 3 tablespoons of tahini, half a teaspoon of salt and about 2 tablespoons of water.
3. Whizz together fast then turn the processor down to slow and pour in 3 tablespoon of olive oil while it’s going. Do this slowly!
4. Add more water or lemon juice if the paste is not creamy enough.
Taste it: then you can add some more of any of the ingredients you think it needs to make it right for you!

Extras

• You can add spices (like paprika or ground cumin) or fresh herbs (like parsley, coriander or basil) to this mixture. Also you can mix it with other vegetables: for example avocado, roasted red pepper, cooked broad beans, green beans or roasted pumpkin. (See hummus recipes below)
• You can decorate it by sprinkling paprika powder and a few cooked chickpeas on the top.

How to eat it

As a dip:eat it with toasted pita bread, breadstick or raw vegetables – I like it with carrots, sweet bell pepper and celery. It’s perfect for parties! As a spread: use it instead of butter on a piece of toast or in a sandwich As a sauce: eat it with meatballs or falafels stuffed together in pita bread As a snack:take a little pot with you to a picnic, trip or in your school lunch-box.

Tips:

• Put your hummus in a container with a lid and keep it in the fridge. Eat it within a two or three days. If you make too much you can freeze some of it.

Other, interesting hummus recipes

• Spiced hummus
• Pea & mint hummus
• Roasted squash hummus
• White beans hummus
• Aubergine hummus
• Hummus with roasted garlic
• Spinach hummus
• Roasted garlic hummus
• Harissa hummus
• Green pea hummus
• Zingy pea hummus
• Broad beans hummus
• Spiced spinach hummus
• Avocado hummus
• White bean hummus