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Recipe for basic hummus

Serves 6

The hummus recipe in “Jerusalem: A Cookbook” is incredibly smooth and tahini-rich. Simmer dried chickpeas, which you’ve soaked overnight, withbaking soda to break down the skins. After pureeing, add ice water to the food processor to make a mixture that turns quite unbelievably creamy.

cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained
1teaspoon baking soda
cups water
1cup plus 2 tablespoons light tahini paste
4tablespoons lemon juice
4cloves garlic, crushed
Salt, to taste
tablespoons ice-cold water

1. In a saucepan, combine the chickpeas and baking soda. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the water and bring to a boil. Cook, skimming off any foam and any skins that float to the surface, for 20 to 40 minutes (depending on the type and freshness of the chickpeas). When done, the chickpeas should be very tender, breaking up easily when pressed between your thumb and finger, almost but not quite mushy.

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2. Drain the chickpeas. Save ¼ cup to garnish the finished dish.

3. In a food processor, work the chickpeas into a stiff paste. With the machine running, add the tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Finally, slowly drizzle in the ice water and let the processor mix for 5 minutes or until you get a very smooth and creamy paste.

4. Transfer the hummus to a bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
Refrigerate until using; let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
Adapted from “Jerusalem: A Cookbook”