It is that unpretentious dip that you make a beeline for especially when you are on a calorie-crunching diet. The not-so-glamorous chickpea paste aka hummus has often appeared on platters with fresh pita; carrot and cucumber slivers; and even falafel, with a rich pine nut, olive oil and chilli drizzle to woo you in more ways than one. Now the protein powerhouse is undergoing a smashing makeover in modish renditions on the plate.
PERFECT COMBINATIONS
The legume hummus was born over 2,500 years ago in ancient Egypt and has been gaining rapid popularity worldwide, especially oft late in raring combinations. Chef Vikram Khatri of Hello Guppy, Mumbai, recently spun out a bigger protein powerbank by bringing in soyabean hummus, served up with crunchy sesame lavash. A radical spin on the classic.
“The good old chickpea hummus can be glamorised with the use of basil for a herb count, cauliflower for varied texture, avocado for smoothness and nutrient upswing, and many more,” says Shyam Negi, Executive Chef at Drifters Tap Station, Mumbai, adding, “At our microbrewery, we pair up hummus with other ingredients to ramp up the flavour mix with beer.
One of our signature dishes, Bil Lahme Chicken, combines spicy chicken chunks with hummus, and pita bread served on the side. The slight blandness of the hummus coupled with the spice factor of the chicken marries the flavours very well. Also, try tossing in hummus with raw vegetables in a salad. It is a popular preparation with both vegetarians and vegans.” A viable tip is to pound chickpeas using mortar and pestle to bring out the proper texture of hummus (neither too slack nor too stiff) and its flavour, rather than using a grinder to blend the chickpeas.
NUTRIENT MATRIX
When it comes to noveau renditions of hummus, you can virtually experiment with a playground of flavours. Says Chef Ashay Dhopatkar of Delhi-based kitchen TroublesomeDuo, “Avocado hummus comes packed with nutrients and flavours, being a cross between guacamole and traditional hummus. Else you can replace chickpeas with black bean paste to add soluble and insoluble fibre content aplenty, throw in a bit of freshly squeezed lime juice, green chillies and pounded cumin to lend the dip an extra zest.
Optionally, go for sundried tomato hummus for a tangy and tartish preparation. Basil leaves bring in that extra freshness. Beetroot hummus brings in added anti oxidant power in a pretty pink complexion, being one of the richest sources of glutamine. For herb lovers, garlic and rosemary hummus is a favoured pick.”
Delicious, versatile, nutritious. Make your own rendition and tuck in with gusto.
Edamame Hummus
by Chef Sareen Madhiyan, Tappa, Aerocity, Delhi
Ingredients
❖ Frozen shelled edamame: 225 gms
❖ Green soy beans: 1 and 1/2 cups
❖ Tahini: 1/4 cup
❖ Ice cubes: 1/4 cup
❖ Lemon juice: 3 tbsp
❖ Garlic clove (smashed): 1
❖ Salt: 3/4 tsp
❖ Extra virgin olive oil: 3 tbsp
❖ Fresh, flat-leaf parsley, chopped: 1 tbsp
Method
❖ Thaw and deshell the edamame.
❖ Wash them in salted water to remove the thin outer covering of the beans.
❖ In a food processor, make a puree out of the edamame, tahini, ice cubes, lemon juice, garlic, chopped parsley until it turns smooth.
❖ AAdd salt to the mixture.
❖ With the motor running, slowly drizzle in two tablespoons of the olive oil into the mix and
blend it until it gets absorbed.
❖ Serve with desired vegetables or lavaash.