Hummus

Developed February, 2016. This tasty spread of chickpeas and sesame has nourished millions over the millennia. Those two foodstuffs were among the earliest crops raised by early people of the Fertile Crescent, and remain tasty, nourishing, and versatile food over wide parts of the globe to the present day.

8 oz dry chickpeas
1/2 t baking soda
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 c tahini (sesame paste)
1/3 c lemon juice
1 t ground cumin
1⁄2 t salt
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil

Rinse the dry chickpeas in a colander, transfer to a bowl, cover with water, add baking soda, and soak for 10 to 12 hours, stirring occasionally. Rinse well, drain, transfer to a three-quart saucepan, cover with water, bring to a fast simmer. Cook gently, covered, for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check for doneness by squeezing a pea. If it breaks easily and is not gritty, they are done. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid and transfer peas to a food processor. Add sufficient liquid to blend. Blend until smooth, about four minutes on low speed. Add salt, garlic, tahini, cumin, and lemon juice with the processor running on low speed. Increase speed to high, and blend until creamy, adding cooking liquid as needed. Adjust the seasoning, and stir in the oil. As the hummus it cools, it will thicken, so aim for the runny side while it’s warm. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator. Yields about 28 ounces.