Chickpea Hummus: the delicious ancient tradition that unites everybody

Time:          prep. 10 min.
                    (+soak. and cook. for chickpeas)
Difficulty:   easy
Yield:          for 4 servings
Cost:           medium

One of the examples of the unifying power of food, the chickpea hummus really seems to have been sent to Earth to please everyone: lactose- and gluten-intolerants, celiacs, vegetarians, vegans and omnivorous population, and even the poor and rich. A national dish of many countries, with a per capita GDP of less than 20 thousand dollars a year, while in recent years it has been appreciated and prepared by many Western citizens with equal emphasis. So, the power to the poor and truly traditional dishes!

In fact, the good fats of tahin (to discover how to prepare it at home click here), enrich the hummus with vitamin E, together with vitamin B and mineral salts already present in chickpeas; in addition, the high levels of protein and dietary fibre content, as well as the pleasant taste it has, create the basis for a perfect plate. The preparation takes a moment; of course you should have already cooked the chickpeas, which does not seem to me to be a big obstacle, just need to play in advance with a bit of organization. So what are you waiting for, go and soak the chickpeas! We have a hummus to prepare.
 

Ingredients

250g of chickpeas already boiled and cold (24 hrs of soaking is fine for reducing antinutrients)
100ml of chickpeas cooking water (it is essential to give the velvety sense to humus)
3-4 tablespoons of tahin
1-2 cloves of garlic (depends on whether you are in a romantic situation or not)
2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
salt

To decorate
some finely chopped parsley leaves
a cucumber pickle cut into sticks
cumin, chili or paprika, extravergine olive oil
 

Directions

Use a manual food mill to create the chickpea puree, adding a little at a time of the cooking water for a homogeneous result; add lemon juice, grated garlic, tahin and mix everything, adding salt. For those who want a more velvety effect, using a minipimer would not be a bad idea. Serve the chickpea humus on a flat, elongated plate; season with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with chilli pepper, cumin and finally some freshly cut parsley leaves.

Additional advice

My dad, when he makes hummus, he peels the chickpeas. This work is a madness for all those who participate “in the work”, but I cannot deny its usefulness. Since the peels cannot be assimilated by the human body, their presence would cause the famous and unwanted bloating. If you are among those who are afraid to eat legumes, precisely for fear of intestinal disorders, I advise you to follow my father’s process. Giampaolo, who eats his father-in-law’s hummus almost at kilos, despite containing ‘cups’ of olive oil and tahin, never feels full: his own words

Smart combos

Made with very few ingredients, which have not undergone big processing, and which do not contain additives, flavour enhancers, extracts or synthetic aromas: chickpea hummus is able to bring joy and nourishment to a natural and poor table. It is a good and healthy side dish, but also very caloric, so I absolutely recommend combining it with simple, low-calorie dishes. A mixture of vegetable crudités, with some drops of lemon juice, would be very good, since vitamin C allows our body to assimilate non-eme⁽¹⁾ iron at the maximum level, and a few slices of wholemeal bread. All preceeded preferably by a rich soup. Not to be recommended instead combinations made with aged cheeses, because these are very rich in calcium, which interfere with the absorption of iron⁽²⁾. In order to assimilate the maximum level of iron, without the risk of competitiveness resulting from the presence of calcium, refrain from combining foods containing these two minerals in large quantities. Instead, you might serve it with plant based burgers, seitan, but also with lean chicken and meat, as long as your portion of chickpea hummus does not exceed the content of a generous spoon: otherwise the shape would suffer.

Enjoy your meal and have a good revolution to all

Bibliography
(1) Teucher B, Olivares M, Cori H. (2004). Enhancers of iron absorption: ascorbic acid and other organic acids. International Journal of Vitamin and Nutrition Research 74(6):403-419.
(2) Hallberg, L., Rossander-Hulten, L., Brune, M. & Gleerup, A. (1992a). Calcium and iron absorption:
mechanism of action and nutritional importance. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 46,317-327 

You might also like:

• Eggplant salad
• Insight: Our irrepressible hunger for meat