Basic Hummus Recipe from Ottolenghi's 'Jerusalem' (2024)

FAQs

What is Jerusalem hummus? ›

Not to disappoint the roasted red pepper and Sriracha fans (those are some of our most popular flavors), but Jerusalem-Style hummus comes in one flavor- traditional. Each family, restaurant, dive makes their own recipe, but it usually comes down to four ingredients: chickpeas, tahini, lemon and garlic.

To some degree it depends on who you ask, but mostly Israeli-style hummus is smoother and creamier than most of the hummus you find in your grocery store. It has a lot more tahini — a paste made from sesame seeds — in it than some other Middle Eastern varieties of hummus.

Baking soda: Adding baking soda to the chickpeas helps make the legume easier to digest, softer, and makes them easy to peel. Don't skip this ingredient!

Hummus is a common part of everyday meals in Israel. It is made from ingredients that, following Kashrut (Jewish dietary laws), can be combined with both meat and dairy meals. Chickpea dishes have long been part of the cuisine of Jews who lived in the Middle East and Northern Africa.

One ingredient used in Sabra, however, does carry some health concerns: potassium sorbate. This preservative has been linked to migraines and stomach issues, and a recent study published in the journal Toxicology in Vitro found the additive to damage immune-system-regulating white blood cells.

Tahini adds a rich, nutty flavor that perfectly balances the earthy taste of chickpeas. The ratio of tahini to chickpeas in Israeli hummus is often higher than in other variations, making it exceptionally creamy and decadent.

A good plate of hummus MUST be accompanied by a few decent pitot (plural for pita bread). One eats the hummus by breaking of a piece of the pita bread, wiping it in the hummus and then popping it in your mouth. Yummm.... heaven!

If you feel adventurous, try replacing the tahini with an equal amount of peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, Greek yogurt, chopped roasted peppers, pitted olives, roasted beets, steamed sweet potato, avocado, or thawed frozen peas, to name just a few possibilities.

Homemade varieties will generally last anywhere from 3-4 days, whereas store-bought brands generally lasts 6-7 days after opening. These estimates assume that it maintains a refrigerated temperature; as we mentioned already, the shelf life of hummus is diminished greatly if it does not remain chilled.

Chickpeas - or garbanzo beans, they're the same thing - have a very thin skin on the outside. You can eat chickpeas with the skin on, but they're better without. When making hummus, removing the skins will make your hummus much creamier and rich.

What's the difference between Israeli and Arabic hummus? ›

From my minuscule knowledge, Israelis use more garlic and arabs use more lemon. Arab hummus is more traditional and Israeli hummus is often combined with other things to create a new product, kind of like cream cheese in America (example salmon cream cheese, strawberry cream cheese).

According to a recent survey, 93 percent of Israelis eat hummus at least once a week, and at least 70 percent of Israel keeps hummus stored in their fridge at any given time! If you're a fan of hummus, you won't want to miss out on its richer, more textured counterpart, msabbaha.

Hummus—that much loved, humble chickpea dip—is a vital part of the cuisine throughout the Middle East. In Israel, where it's served at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack times, it's practically iconic.

The ratio of tahini to chickpeas in Israeli hummus is often higher than in other variations, making it exceptionally creamy and decadent.

According to Solomonov, “the secret to great Israeli-style hummus is an obscene amount of tahini.” Unlike Greek-style hummus which is heavy on garlic and lemon, Israeli hummus is all about the marriage of chickpeas and tahini.

With a host of different recipes, Hummus Tehina is arguably the most popular in the country. This style really showcases the Tahini, making the rich sesame flavour stand out above all else. Another Israeli take on the chickpea dip is called Jaffa Hummus.

The pioneering Zionists—East European Jews who migrated to Palestine early in the 20 ^th century so as to establish a Jewish state, as well as Jews from Middle Eastern countries, who migrated to Israel after its establishment—added hummus into their culinary repertoire as part of their practical and symbolic attempts at ...