Ahlan Habibi’s and Habibti’s!
So what’s the 2nd most popular Arabic dish in Dubai after Shawarma?
But obviously it’s the humble hummus! My family is a big hummus lovin’ bunch and I almost never have any leftovers when I make hummus at home; I think my daughter literally drinks it or something. I am also quite guilty of doing something similar. During the hummus making process, I end up indulging in so many taste tests, that there is just about half left in the bowl.
I always make an assortment of hummus flavours at home- Beetroot hummus, Meat hummus or the classic Hummus. But today’s special is Carrot hummus and when you make it, trust me, you will realise this version has a refreshing taste as compared to Beet or the other hummus flavours. That comes from the half raw carrot that we put in additionally. And when the raw carrot combines with the lemon juice, it’ really gives a flavour burst to this hummus and that’s probably why this one is my husband’s favourite. So let’s kick-start the recipe, without further ado.
Ingredients
1/2 cup dried chickpeas
1 1/2 fresh medium sized carrots
1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
3-4 tbsps fresh lemon juice
1 large garlic clove
Himalayan salt to taste
2 tbsps water or liquid from the chickpeas
3 tbsp olive oil
Arabic sumac or paprika (to garnish)
Wash the dried chickpeas well and soak them overnight covered in water. The next day, before cooking them in a pressure cooker or instant pot, rinse them once again. Peel the carrots and roughly cut 1 carrot in large pieces and add it to the pressure cooker along with the chickpeas and 1 tsp salt, cook until the chickpeas are soft. Cut the other half carrot piece in smaller dices and keep it aside. The chickpeas need to be really soft (think slightly mushy) to ensure a smooth blending process. Once cooled, strain the chickpeas and carrot but make sure you keep aside the cooking water.
Now place the chickpeas and all the carrots, cooked and raw ones in a food processor/ high speed blender along with the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, 2 tbsp olive and blend it well, until you get the desired texture, what we are looking for is a creamy texture. If it's too thick, add some of the cooking liquid, and keep adding until you are happy with a creamy texture, it's musn't be too liquidy, it should be thick and smooth as in the picture. You may not need to add more salt to the blending process, since the chickpeas and carrots are cooked in salted water and you will be balancing the hummus consistency with the leftover hummus water.
Serve the hummus topped with swirls of olive oil, a sprinkle of sumac or paprika and a teaspoon of finely grated carrots. It can be used as a dip with crudités, crackers or even pita bread, the options are endless. I love swirling some on open faced sandwiches too, a healthy twist to the otherwise mundane bread and butter combo.
