It was at a memorable breakfast in the home of Nader Alnajjar and Reem in Bahrain, that I was first introduced to hummus. On that crisp, cold morning, I mopped up the creamy, velvety dip with yet another billowy kuboos (pita bread). “It is the pride of the people of Sham,” said Reem. (Sham is the approximate region that includes Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Jordan). The memories of that Arabian breakfast came flooding back when I encountered hummus once again, this time in Jerusalem.
“In Israel, everyone has a favourite hummus place, and it is great fun to participate in loud arguments about who makes the best hummus,” said chef Michael Katz. Katz, who taught at Le Cordon Bleu London for three years, worked in Michelin-starred restaurants and now owns his own in Jerusalem (Adom, Colony and Lavan). “When I was a kid, we lived in the Jewish quarter of the old city, just at the entrance to the Arab souk, and every Saturday morning I went with a nice oval plate to a hummus place in the Arab market. The owner made up a beautiful plate for me and I walked home proudly showing it off to the tourists in the market. That was one reason I loved going to buy hummus there.”
Chef Michael Katz
While nothing exact is known about its origins, we do know that hummus is pretty ancient. Basically, hummus is made up of boiled and mashed chickpeas to which are added lemon juice, cumin, garlic, salt, pepper, and tahini. Still, much like daily staples, the taste differs from place to place. Sometimes, says Katz, it may be the ratio of tahini and chickpeas. Or the amount of oil used differs. Other times it is the texture.
- 2 cups of boiled chickpeas
- One small clove of garlic (you can use more if you want)
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 4 heaped tablespoons of Tahini (sesame paste)
- Salt to taste
- Garnish
- Pitted olives
- Olive oil
- Procedure
- Blend the above ingredients with a little liquid left over from the boiled chickpeas. This gives it a creamy texture. Transfer it to a bowl and top with olive oil, chilli paste, olives or any other topping of your choice. Even the consistency of the hummus is all about personal preferences as is the amount of garlic and olive oil you want to use.
- Important: As with any food, hummus is always best eaten fresh and is usually served cold.
Some like it silky smooth, while others prefer it not so much. There are people out there who eschew the use of blenders and food processors and prefer using traditional grinding tools. (How many of you remember eating idlis made out of batter that has been hand-ground?)
As the world shrinks and people travel so much more, new spices and flavours are creeping into the hummus. Sumac, coriander powder... Who knows, maybe a dash of my rasam powder too could make it edgy. As Katz explains, “The base is the guideline, and chefs take it to different planes from there.
Sometimes even the base has been modified. Instead of chickpeas, chefs are experimenting with lima beans, white beans, potatoes, peas and a lot more. The garnish can vary too. It can be as simple or as complicated as one wants it to be. Minced meat, pan-fried shrimp, roasted pine nuts, chopped parsley, cooked whole chickpeas, etc... The possibilities are endless. My personal favourite is hummus with minced meat and fresh hot pita bread. These make the plebeian hummus a sophisticated offering.”
But it does not matter what or where you eat it; Katz declares that everyone he knows in his country has a definite opinion about hummus and can spend hours discussing it. And, if you are ever in Jerusalem, he recommends you try the hummus at Pinati.
In this fortnightly column, we discuss an iconic food, its origins and evolution
