What is hummus?
You hear it more and more often hummus. But what is hummus? Also written as hummus, hoummous, humus or humos is a kind of puree with a base of chickpeas. Some people can't live without it and others hate it. Sometimes it doesn't look very tasty either, but it is very healthy and highly recommended for vegetarians!
Where does hummus come from?
Many people think that hummus is something new, but this is not the case. For centuries hummus has been eaten in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey. Several countries believe to be the 'owner' of hummus. Because it is available almost everywhere and so easy to make, no one can find out where it really comes from. Some even claim that this is the oldest prepared dish in the world!
Chickpeas
Because the recipe consists for 58% of chickpeas, this is also the main ingredient of hummus. They grow in India, Australia, America and Canada but they can also grow in the Netherlands! This is the second time a grower in Zeeland has had a hectare with chickpeas. The chickpea is an edible legume from the butterfly flower family. It is an annual plant. They say that in Anatolia the chickpea has been grown for more than 8000 years. The chickpea was spread to the Mediterranean and India. Now the chickpea is grown in many subtropical areas. The most important areas are India, Pakistan, Turkey, Australia, Morocco and Iran.
Home-grow chickpeas
There are seed dealers who sell chickpea seeds, but you can also grow them yourself from dried organic chickpeas from the supermarket. Soak the chickpeas the night before. You can sow them outdoors from April to July, sow them 2 centimetres deep and 10 to 15 centimetres apart. Choose a spot in full sun, with good water permeable soil.
You don't have much work taking care of the chickpeas. They only need water once in a while. They are very independent because they extract nitrogen from the air and send it to their roots.
Harvest
After 8 to 10 weeks the chickpeas produce beautiful green pods. Each pod contains 1 or 2 peas. When the pods become thick and the peas can be felt through the skin, it is time to harvest them. In order to produce a lot of peas, you actually need a whole field of peas. We all know that not everyone has a hectare of field in his or her garden ;). But we do know for sure that even a few fresh home-grown chickpeas are worth it. The taste is superior!
Hummus recipe
The tastiest and healthiest thing is of course making hummus yourself. Make your own healthy hummus in no time. It's not difficult and it doesn't take much. Here are the necessities and the ingredients you need.
Supplies
- Blender, food processor or hand blender
- Large bowl
Ingredients
- 400 grams (organic) chickpeas out of pot or can
- 1 tbsp tahin
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- Pepper and salt to taste
- Chives or parsley for garnish
Preparation
- Take the skin off the garlic.
- Put the chickpeas and two thirds of the liquid in a bowl.
- Add the remaining ingredients (except chives or parsley) to the chickpeas and mix until smooth.
- Garnish with chives or parsley.
That was easy, wasn't it? You can also choose to make different variations. Then add the ingredients below to the base hummus and mix it well.
Greek hummus
50 grams of feta cheese, 100 grams of spinach and 0,25 tbsp of cinnamon.
Spicy hummus
1 tbsp cayenne pepper and 1 tsp paprika.
Pesto hummus
3 tbsp pesto, 2 tbsp parmesan cheese and 2 tbsp pine nuts.
Hummus with fresh herbs
0,5 cup of basil, 0,5 cup of parsley and 0,5 cup of tarragon.
