Ingredients

125g dried chickpeas

¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda

3-4 ice cubes

35-50g tahina

juice of ½ lemon

1 small garlic clove, crushed (optional)

½ tsp salt

 

Method

CLASSIC HOMMOS

The night before you want to make the hommos, put the chickpeas into a bowl and cover them with cold water. Set aside and leave to soak for at least 8-10 hours.

The next day, drain the chickpeas and return to the bowl. Add the bicarbonate of soda and cover with cold water. Soak for 30 minutes.

Drain off the water again and put the chickpeas into a medium saucepan. Pour in enough cold water to cover them by a couple of centimetres, then put a lid on the pan and bring to the boil.

Skim all the scum from the top as it comes to the boil, then half cover the pan and simmer gently for 40-45 minutes until you can easily squeeze a chickpea between your finger and thumb. Make sure the water doesn’t boil so the chickpeas don’t break up.

As soon as they’re done, drain the chickpeas and cool until just warm. Tip into a food processor with the ice and blend until smooth.

This will take a couple of minutes and the mixture will turn from chickpea yellow to pale and creamy. Add the tahina and blend again, then finally, blend with the lemon juice, garlic (if using) and salt.

Taste to check the seasoning and serve.

HOMMOS BEIRUTY

Once the chickpeas are cooked, set aside a large spoonful to stir in at the end. Make the hommos with the remaining chickpeas, following the classic recipe, then transfer to a bowl and stir in 1 crushed garlic clove, ½2-1 chopped and deseeded red or green chilli, a small handful of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and the reserved whole chickpeas. Spoon into another bowl and serve.

BEETROOT HOMMOS

Make the hommos following the classic recipe and leave the hommos in the food processor. Grate 150g cooked beetroot and add most of it to the food processor. Whizz until smooth.

Transfer into a bowl, then spoon the remaining grated beetroot into the middle, sprinkle with sumac and serve.

RED PEPPER HOMMOS

Make the hommos following the classic recipe and leave it in the food processor. Slice 2 red peppers in half and put on a baking sheet. Grill under a hot grill until the skins blister and blacken.

Put in a bowl, cover and leave for about 10 minutes for the skin to steam off. Remove and discard the cores and skins, then finely chop the flesh. Set aside about a quarter and add the remaining chopped pepper to the food processor. Whizz until smooth.

Transfer to a bowl, then spoon the remaining chopped pepper into the middle, sprinkle over a few chilli flakes and serve.

HOMMOS WITH LAMB & PINE NUTS

Make the hommos following the classic recipe. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan and sauté ½ chopped onion for about 8 minutes over a medium heat until starting to turn golden.

Stir in 1 crushed garlic clove and cook for 1 minute. Add 100g lamb mince, a pinch each of cinnamon, Lebanese seven-spice mix and allspice, and season with salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it’s golden and cooked through, and the mixture looks crumbled. Spoon the hommos into a bowl and top with the mince mixture, I deseeded and finely chopped tomato, 15g toasted pine nuts, 2 teaspoons paprika and a small handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley to garnish.