The Food Byte: Spicy Hummus

The place where I live is famous for hummus- every single Arab restaurant and even Western to some extent have hummus on their menu. For those who don't know what it is, hummus is a dip made out of mashed chick peas, tahina (or tahini) and olive oil. It's eaten with flatbread and an assortment of kebabs. It's awesome.

While scouring the net for reviews on the latest Blackberry, I happened to come upon this recipe by Martha Stewart. It's called Spiced Up Hummus. And it sounds delicious. It's a recipe that's not time consuming and you can whip it up when your friends are headed to your place.

Image and recipe from Martha Stewart.

Ingredients:

• 15 (1 can) ounces chickpeas, drained, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid
• 1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground star anise (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped, plus whole leaves for garnish (optional)
• 1 plum tomato, peeled, seeded, and very finely chopped
• 2 scallions, very thinly sliced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Method:

1. In a food processor combine beans and reserved bean liquid, tahini, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, star anise (if using), ginger, and cumin; puree until smooth.
   
2. Transfer to a serving bowl and stir in cilantro, tomato, and scallions; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons oil over the top of the hummus. Before serving, garnish with cilantro leaves if desired.