Hummus

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried chickpeas or split fava beans cooked
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup tahini paste
• 6 tablespoons lemon juice (2 medium lemons)
• 6 large cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon toasted and crushed cumin seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Soak and then cook beans with baking soda, bay leaf, and a longer than normal cook time. 20 minutes for chickpeas and 10 minutes for fava beans.
2. In food processor add lemon juice and peeled garlic cloves. Don’t crush garlic cloves too much when getting skins off. You want most of the damage to the garlic to be happening in contact with the lemon juice to reduce the harshness of the garlic. Blend the garlic until liquid.
3. Add chickpeas and tahini paste and blend until smooth. Add cooking water as necessary to loosen the mixture to a desired consistency. Consistency should be a bit looser than the desired final product as it will thicken as it cools and once in the fridge.
4. Add more salt if desired along with cumin if using and blend in.