Simply Smooth Hummus
Hummus is a dip that is made from chickpeas, which are also known as garbanzo beans.
Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas (garbanzo beans),
rinsed and drained - 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 2 rounds pita bread
- 1/2 pound baby carrots
Directions
Slice the garlic
Be sure an adult is nearby to help.
Put the garlic clove on a cutting board. Place a metal spatula over the garlic clove and press down hard with the heel of your palm to loosen the papery skin. Peel off the skin and throw it away. Use a sharp knife to cut the garlic into 4 or 5 slices.
Blend the ingredients
Put the garlic, chickpeas, salt and water in a blender container. Blend for 1 minute. Turn off the blender and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Replace the lid and blend again until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Add the tahini, olive oil and lemon juice and blend for another minute to mix.
Scrape into a bowl
Using the rubber spatula, scrape the hummus into a serving bowl. If you are not serving it immediately, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it.
Serve the dip
Place the pita bread rounds on the cutting board and use a serrated knife to cut each round into 8 triangles.
Trim the stringy ends from the carrots. You can leave on the green tops, if you want, because they make a good handle.
Put the bowl of hummus on a large plate. Surround it with the pita triangles and baby carrots for dipping. Serves 4 to 6.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Fun Food, by Stephanie Rosenbaum (Simon & Schuster, 2006).
Be sure an adult is nearby to help.
Put the garlic clove on a cutting board. Place a metal spatula over the garlic clove and press down hard with the heel of your palm to loosen the papery skin. Peel off the skin and throw it away. Use a sharp knife to cut the garlic into 4 or 5 slices.
Blend the ingredients
Put the garlic, chickpeas, salt and water in a blender container. Blend for 1 minute. Turn off the blender and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Replace the lid and blend again until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Add the tahini, olive oil and lemon juice and blend for another minute to mix.
Scrape into a bowl
Using the rubber spatula, scrape the hummus into a serving bowl. If you are not serving it immediately, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it.
Serve the dip
Place the pita bread rounds on the cutting board and use a serrated knife to cut each round into 8 triangles.
Trim the stringy ends from the carrots. You can leave on the green tops, if you want, because they make a good handle.
Put the bowl of hummus on a large plate. Surround it with the pita triangles and baby carrots for dipping. Serves 4 to 6.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Fun Food, by Stephanie Rosenbaum (Simon & Schuster, 2006).