Hummus

Here is the king of Middle Eastern cuisine – hummus, which in Arabic means chickpeas, the main ingredient of this thick and filling paste. Hummus is an element of cultural pride of the Middle East. At the same time, it unites and divides the entire region – it is a dish of everyone, but belongs to no one. The Israelis and the Lebanese fiercely compete for the title of creator of hummus. The origin of hummus has become a symbol of tensions in the Middle East.

There is no good hummus without good ingredients, i.e. perfectly creamy sesame paste (tahini), top quality olive oil and lemon juice.

In Lebanon, it is seasoned to taste with salt, pepper and, of course, the national spice, a mixture of seven Lebanese spices. In the basic version, it can also be seasoned with ground cumin or coriander and a clove of garlic, which will gently enrich the taste of hummus. It is worth sprinkling it with chopped parsley, aromatic za’atar and drizzling with olive oil.