Humus

METHOD

1. Peel and mince the garlic. Empty the can of chickpeas (including the liquid unless it contains added sugar and salt, in whcih case, rinse them thoroughly) into the bowl of a food processor or blender, add all other ingredients except the sweet paprika and process until smooth.

2. Taste and add a bit more lemon juice or olive oil if you like. If you find it a bit too thick, add a tablespoon of water at the time until you get the right consistency. Remember it will thicken as it cools in the fridge.

3. Finish your hummus with a sprinkling of sweet paprika and a drizzle of olive oil. You can save a few whole chickpeas and use them to decorate the bowl. Serve with warm pitta bread strips, carrot and cucumber sticks, cherry tomatoes or spread on sandwiches and wraps.

INFORMATION

For babies, gently steam some vegetables and let them dip them in the dip and feed themselves. Wholemeal bread would be a good option too for dipping.
I freeze my hummus in silicone muffin trays (enough for 4 sandwiches) and then transfer to a plastic bag or contained to avoid freezer burn.

VARIANTS

Olive hummus – add a few pitted black olives to the blender, at the beginning if you like a smooth texture or towards the end if you like a bit more texture.
Sun-dried tomato hummus – add a few well drained sun dried tomatoes to the blender and process until you reach your preferred texture.
Roast pepper hummus – add a small peeled and deseeded roast pepper to the blender while processing. If using tinned roast peppers, drain them well before adding to your hummus.
Butter Bean hummus – substitute your chickpeas for butter beans which produce a more delicate flavoured hummus.