Recipe: Hummus

It's the first day of Summer and a scorcher here in the city. High 90°s with heat indexes of 100°+!
Luckily I bought pita chips on sale at Costco a few days before and always have cans of chickpeas, garlic, a bottle of extra virgin olive oil, and salt in the pantry. Tahini (sesame paste) and lemon juice in the refrigerator allows me to whip up some hummus for those days when it's just too hot to cook something and you feel like you are in the deserts of Egypt. I find it is cheaper to make this rather than buying it at the supermarket and it is REALLY easy to make. Plus, you don't have all those extra additives and preservatives in it.

Now what is hummus you may ask? It's a Middle Eastern appetizer dip made with said ingredients and according to Wikipedia:

Hummus is high in iron and vitamin C and also has significant amounts of folate and vitamin B6. The chickpeas make it a good source of protein and dietary fiber; the tahini consists mostly of sesame seeds, which are an excellent source of the amino acid methionine, complementing the proteins in the chickpeas. Depending on the recipe, hummus carries varying amounts of monounsaturated fat. Hummus is useful in vegetarian and vegan diets; like other combinations of grains and pulses, it serves as a complete protein when eaten with bread.

Hummus with pita chip

Ingredients

• 1 16 oz can of chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans)
• 1/4 cup of the liquid from the can of chickpeas
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice (I find bottled is fine here)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

  Directions

1. Drain the chickpeas and set aside 1/4 cup of the liquid.
2. Combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, crushed garlic, salt, and olive oil into a food processor and process until mixed and creamy. 
3. Add the chickpea liquid and blend for 3-5 minutes or until thoroughly mixed and smooth. 

You can serve this immediately at room temperature or chilled.

Note: When served chilled, the hummus will be a thicker consistency.

I make mine in a food processor but I suppose you can do it in a blender if you don't own one. You may have to stop occasionally and use a spoon to push the unblended ingredients down.

Recipe: Chickpea,Tofu, Avocado Salad

Here is a recipe that I created inspired by a salad I had at a cafe in the East Village.

It's quite easy to make and economical as well if you prepare the salad in advance to take with you (I divide them into 4 plastic reusable Chinese take-out containers). Omit the dressing when you prepare the salads in advance as it will start to wilt the salad.
This recipe serves 4.

• 1 head of iceberg lettuce


• 15oz canned chickpeas (drained and rinsed)


• 2 carrots (peeled and shredded)


• 12.3oz box Mori-Nu Silken Tofu (Extra Firm)


• 1 ripe avocado (pitted, skin removed, and sliced)

1. With a sharp chef's knife, cut the head of lettuce into quarters. Cut off root end and then chop each quarter into bite sized pieces (as you chop up each quarter, put them into each serving bowl).


2. Divide the chickpeas into 4 servings (about 1/4 cup each in each serving bowl).


3. Divide the shredded carrots among the four serving bowls.


4. Cut the tofu into 1/2" small cubes and divide amongst the serving bowls.


5. Divide the avocado into four servings and add to the serving bowls (about 3 slices each).

Serve with your favorite salad dressing or try this recipe for Ginger Carrot Dressing:

• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks


• 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled


• 1 tablespoon soy sauce


• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar


• 1/4 cup orange juice


• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

In a blender, combine all the ingredients except the oil. Pulse blender until the mixture is mostly smooth, then add the oil and puree for 15 seconds. (Blending oil for too long emulsifies it, giving it a mayonnaise flavor you don't want in this dressing.)