Monday, June 25, 2007

ISRAELI HUMMUS

Here's again another of my recipes that I made for the "Foodbloggers Picnic" in Geneva...

After some delibaration, I decided to bring this "Hummus", because I thought that it would be the perfect accompaniment to the "German Partybrot" (see recipe) that I baked...

I particularly love "Hummus" (in Arabic "Hummus Bil Tahini) as this Middle Eastern (it's exact origin is unknown) "Mezze" item (appetizer or small dish served with alcohol) is really delicious and goes ever so well with any fresh homemade bread.

This "Israeli Hummus" or more specifically "Jerusalem Hummus" is wonderfully smooth, well-balanced taste-wise and very flavorful. The tahini paste gives this "chickpea purree" a pleasant nutty flavor and th
e spices really tingle your tastebuds in a delicate way without ever shocking them. A real delicacy that is also very decorative on any table!

Make this "Hummus" and travel east to far away lands where legends and history mingle together in order to make people dream...

~ Israeli Hummus ~
Recipe taken from Joan Nathan's cookbook "Jewish Cooking In America" and very freely adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Yields 6-10 servings


Ingredients:
2 Cups (+ 1/2 Cup for decorating) Cooked chickpeas
1 Cup Tahini (sesame paste, see infos)
4 Cloves garlic

1/2- 1 Lemon juice or to taste
1 Tsp Ground paprika
1 1/2 Tsps Ground cumin
A pinch Ground oregano

4 Tbs (+ more for decorating) Olive oil
2-3 Tsps Salt
Ground black pepper to taste
1/2 Tsp Sumac (for decorating, see infos)

Method:
1. Place the chickpeas in the food processor or blender with the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, oregan
o, olive oil, salt and black pepper.
2. Process until smooth.

3. To serve, place the hummus on a large, flat plate.
4. Smooth it down with the back of a spoon, making a slight depression all around the center
5. Dribble with olive oil, sprinkle with sumac and the 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas.
6. Serve.


Remarks:
If the hummus is to thick, add a bit of water.

See the following link for instructions regarding the method to cook chickpeas. For this recipe, you will need about a cup dried chickpeas.
To decorate the hummus, you may also use toasted pine nuts, chopped parsley, olives and some ground paprika.

Serving suggestions:
Serve the hummus with fresh bread such as flat "Ekmek Bread" (see recipe), "German Partybrot" (see recipe) or hot "Pita Bread" cut in wedges that will be dipped into the olive oil and then will be used to scooped up the mixture.
"Tortilla Chips" are also great to dip into it...
You can also use "Hummus" as an appetizer or "Mezze" or as a dressing with dishes such as "Felafel", "Israeli Salad", eggplants and grilled chicken/meats.
It is even possible to fill a "Pita Bread" with onion rings, sliced cucumber and tomatoes, add some "Hummus" and chickpeas in order to make a vegetarian "Kebab".

If you want to learn everything about "Hummus", then I recommend you to visit this site (click here)!

29 comments:

  1. Ah la la j'adore le houmous et ton assiette est plus qu'attirante.

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  2. hummm! ça j'adore...sur une tartine de baguette grillée
    bonne semaine
    bises

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  3. j'aime le houmous mais je n'ai jamais essayé d'en faire et pourtant j'ai une fille qui me casse les pieds pour que j'en fasse alors pourquoi pas avec ta recette
    ton assiette est tres joliment mises en valeur

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  4. PAPRIKAS: Merci beaucoup!

    BRIGITTEGUYANE: Oui, avec une bonne baguette, c'est aussi délicieux! Bonne semaine à toi aussi et bises...

    MOUNET: Merci :-D! C'est vraiment simple à faire... J'espère que ta fille sera contente et que ce hummus sera à ton goût!

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  5. Rosa, let's meet halfway - or come on over and bring the hummus... we'll have griddle cakes for breakfast tomorrow! j'adore le hummus! (et j'aime ce plat, c'est très approprié et il met le hummus bien en valeur). Bonne journée!

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  6. GATO AZUL: Merci! Le plat est maroccain. Je l'ai acheté au marché aux puces.
    Yes, it's a great idea ;-P! I'd love to do that if we would live in the same area. A pity that we live so far from one another....
    Le hummus c'est tellement bon!

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  7. Well Rosa I'm afraid but hummus is arabic and not isareli, long before the creation of Isarel and them occupying Palestine, this dish existed ! Maybe by reading the last book of Susan Nathan you will find more information and sad realities about that.
    Amicalement tout de meme,
    Corinne

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  8. CORINNE: It is indeed an authentic member of the Arab cuisine!
    This recipe is called "Israeli Hummus", because it is made in the "Jerusalem way" (that's what's written in my book). That's all (no political connotation intended ;-P)... Amitiés.

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  9. Ton hummous je pense que je l'ai gouté au picnic à Genève. C'est vrai qu'il est extra. J'ai des difficultés pour lire tes recettes hihi je ne comprends pas l'anglais et le traducteur ne fonctionne pas.
    Bises Rosa

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  10. Ton Hummous ,Rosa, a l'air absoluement divin.J'aime beaucoup ta photo en close-up ou on l'impression de pouvoir y goûter....Bonne semaine

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  11. c'est typiquement la préparation dans laquelle je ne me suis jamais lancé alors qu'on sait qu'un guacamole maison n'a rien à envier à un guacamole tout fait, il doit en être de même pr le houmous!

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  12. Hiya Rosa...just blogged about tortilla chips and this looks great as a dip :)

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  13. Hi Rosa,
    I love hummus, too. In my country, they served with alcohol as you say. We call "Meze". Turkish guys love meze with "Rakı". :)
    Your post is very nice, you give many info. It is nice to see something similar too my country.

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  14. mm i love hummus and that joan nathan cookbook is one of my faves :) hummus is just as much arabic as it is jewish :(

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  15. miam miam j'adore cela!

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  16. et dire que je n'y ai jamais goûté... pfff, toute une éducation (culinaire) à refaire !!

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  17. MARIE FLO: Oui, je l'ai fait pour notre pique-nique! Je m'excuse pour les problèmes que tu rencontres sur mon blog... Chez moi, le traducteur fonctionne. Bizarre! Si tu as besoin d'une traduction, fais-moi signe. Bises...

    AWOZ: Merci beaucoup, Awoz! Effectivement, il est vraiment divin!...

    ADRIANO: Merci pour ta visite et ton commentaire! Tu sais, c'est vraiment pas difficile à faire! Oui, de même qu'avec le guacamole, le houmous est bien meilleur fait maison...

    SHIONGE: Yes, with tortilla chips it would be delicious!...

    AYSEYAMAN: Hi! Thanks for your visit and kind comment! I love "Mezze" and Turkish food! I'm glad that you like my blog :-D...

    THE TRINIGOURMET: Thanks! Yes, Joan Nathan's book is great! I agree with you...

    BEA AT LA TARTINE GOURMANDE: Merci, Bea :-D!!!

    AUDINETTE: Il n'est jamais trop tard pour y remédier! Maintenant, tu as une bonne excuse pour tester cette spécialité et parfaire to éducation culinaire ;-P..

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  18. I really love hummus, it's one of those things I first learned to make before i learned to make and have been making it ever since. I love the idea of adding cumin and oregano and will try that soon, yours looks divine!

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  19. CHRISTINE: Thanks! Yes, with cumin and oregano, it's delicious...

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  20. Oh quelle fabuleuse recette encore une fois, il est très réussi.

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  21. Hummus is the best, I love it! and this looks like it is a great recipe!

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  22. EOL: Merci beaucoup, Eol!!!

    LINDA: Thanks, Linda! I really love this version...

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  23. j'en salive devant ces magnifiques photos

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  24. Rosa, ton tartare est plus qu'alléchant.Un vrai tartare digne d'un grand resto chic , lol!
    Il y'a une éternité que j'en ai pas mangé (j'ai peur à cause de la maladie du hamburger et puisque j'ai un système digestf hyper sensible je ne peux qu'en rêver et lécher mon écran en regardant ta photo...)Vraiment super et la photo est impec.

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  25. Celui la, il a vraiment l'air extra Rosa. Je n'ai jamais reussi a en faire un qui me plaise vraiment, il faut que j'essaie ta recette.

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  26. MINOUSCHKA: Merci beaucoup :-D!

    AWOZ: Merci, tes compliments me font vraiment plaisir! Dommage que tu ne puisses pas en manger...

    GRACIANNE: Merci beaucoup, Gracianne! Tiens-moi au courant du résultat si par hasard tu essaies ma recette...

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  27. I just love hummus and your homemade one is absolutely wonderful!

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  28. Yummy, a great dish , I like it fresh and even warm !
    .. and you know about that Israeli Hummus Blog ;)

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  29. Corinne, this is hummous made in the Israeli style, as it is made in Israel today. This dish originates in the Levant region, in cannot be traced to one nationality. Despite what you may believe, the majority of Jews in Israel (65%) are immigrants/refugees from Arab countries, as well as the Jews that have always lived in Israel/Palestine, Persia. This dish has been made by millions of Jewish families in the middle east for hundreds of years, including mine what came from Syria, just like our Arab neighbours.

    -Understanding is the only road to Peace
    Shalom, Salaam

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