SYRIA: Hummus

By: George Ghalo

The recipe that I have chosen to talk about is one of the oldest known prepared foods in the Middle East. This delicacy is no other than the famous hummus. Before talking about my story involving hummus, I will begin by explaining the recipe. Hummus has been known in the Middle East stretching back to antiquity; however no one really knows where hummus originated from because of the lack of accuracy in record keeping. Hummus has been in my family, as it has been in many other Middle Eastern families, for centuries. Every time my family and I get invited to my uncle and aunt’s house, whether for Christmas, New Years or Easter, hummus is always present on the table.

I remember when I was about five years old, my mom used to try to feed me hummus, but I would never eat it because I disliked the taste. Now that I am older, I find myself eating a lot more of it since I enjoy the taste of it. A funny fact in our family about hummus is that we all dislike it at one point and as we grow older, we consume it more and more. As much as I love the hummus that my mom makes, nobody does it like my grandmother. There’s just something about the way she puts everything together that makes it impossible to resist. I am guessing that it's those authentic chickpeas that she gets from Syria and also the right amount of lemon juice and garlic that she puts in it which makes everybody come for more. In addition, every family in the Middle East has grown up with humus in their lives and I am happy that I have the chance to eat it because it’s finger licking good.


THE RECIPE

Ingredients:
- one 16oz can of chickpeas
- ¼ cup of liquid from the can of chickpeas
- 3-5 tablespoons of lemon juice (depending on your taste)
- 1 ½ tablespoon of tahini (Ground Sesame Paste)
- 2 cloves of crushed garlic
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Procedure:
1. Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or processor.

2. Add ¼ cup of liquid from chickpeas and blend for 3-5 minutes on low until it’s carefully mixed and smooth.

3. Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus. Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well and if you prefer, garnish with parsley.

Variations: For a spicier hummus, add a slice of red chili or a dash of cayenne pepper.