homemade hummus, anyone?

I crave hummus almost every second of the day. I mean, who doesn't love hummus? I can't imagine my fridge or life in general without a tub of nutty & smooth chickpea goodness. Add some crispy toasted pita and you have the perfect culinary marriage.

I am sure hummus is one of the bestsellers in any supermarket fridge. The guy in front me at the checkout queue yesterday had a large trolley full of hummus - in different favours as well - red pepper, lemon & coriander, Moroccan style, cumin, paprika, sun-dried tomatoes, black bean, low-fat, organic, and 'normal' flavour. The guy was probably throwing a big hummus party, but I wouldn't rule out the possibility that he was just going to bathe in all that hummus himself.

My advice is to skip the supermarket variety(ies) and make your own. It is incredibly easy, cheap and quick to make. You can also add your individual touch, such as roasted pine nuts, paprika, dill, basil, sundried tomatoes, parsley or lime juice.

My homemade hummus is the lovechild of chickpea, peanut butter, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. Tahini, a paste made from roasted sesame seeds, is normally used for a basic hummus recipe, but I have substituted it here with the peanut butter which you can find anywhere. The peanut butter gives the hummus a lovely nutty favour and texture.

hummus with a peanut butter twist

1 can of chickpeas (250g drained chickpeas)

4 tablespoon of smooth peanut butter

2 tablespoon of good-quality olive oil

1 clove of garlic, peeled

Juice of half a lemon / 2 tablespoon of lemon juice

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Smoked paprika (to serve)

Pitted black olives (to serve)

Toasted pita, bread sticks, sliced baguettes, crackers (to serve)

1. Rinse and drain the chickpeas.
2. Add the chickpeas, peanut butter, lemon juice and garlic in a food processor.
3. Add the olive oil slowly while processor is running until the hummus is thick and smooth, or to your desired consistency.
4. Salt and pepper to taste. You can also sprinkle some smoked paprika on top and/or add a few pitted black olives. Take some crispy pita and dive in!

And there you have it. My homemade hummus recipe - 5 minutes with 5 basic ingredients you can find anywhere. You can store this in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Of course I don't really need to sell its 'nutritional value' to you. (In case you're not convinced, hummus is very low in saturated fat, no cholesterol and a good source of fibre and protein. And absolutely ideal for vegetarians.)

And join the facebook group for hummus - some even believe that good hummus can 'solve the Arab-Israeli conflict in one go'.