International Houmous Day: How do You Eat Yours?

Believe it or not, today is International Houmous Day.

I make houmous every week these days, and I’ve tried many different methods and combinations. I also lived in the Middle East for a year, so you could say I’m something of a connoisseur.  Today is a great opportunity for sharing my top 5 houmous-making tips with you.

1.   Start with dried chickpeas. I know it’s easier to open a tin, but I promise you get better results if you start from scratch. Soak them overnight if possible, and boil in plenty of water and a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda until you can crush them between your fingers. This really is the key to success.

2.   Use tahini instead of olive oil. True Arab houmous is made with olive oil, water and lemon juice only, and of course you can use olive oil if you’re allergic to sesame. But I find that tahini gives more of a depth of flavour without being too harsh. Good olive oil can sometimes be a bit overpowering.

3.   Use salt as well as lemon. I try to avoid salt in my cooking and just use lemon because my husband has high blood pressure. But, although you don’t need loads, a little really does elevate your houmous out of the doldrums of boredom.

4.   Add cold water. I used to struggle with my houmous being too thick and gloopy. But a few tablespoons of cold water should sort that out for you. Experiment to find out how much you need, as it will depend on your chickpeas. Remember that houmous can thicken a bit on standing, so you may need a little more water than you think.

5.   Mix it up. There’s no need to add spices to plain houmous, but you can change the flavour by adding different vegetables to your chickpea base. Grilled peppers (remove the skins after grilling) and fresh coriander are a lovely combination, as are beetroot and toasted cumin seeds. Or, keep it simple with half an avocado. If you like your houmous plain, you can jazz it up by topping with toasted pine nuts, or sliced, pan-fried onions for a budget-friendly option that your gut bacteria will enjoy as much as you will.

I’ll be showing you some of these tips live in my free Facebook group this evening at around 8pm. I’d love you to join me https://www.facebook.com/groups/2121100747928725.