Houmous traditionnel

03 — Method

1. Drain the 500 g canned chickpeas in a colander and rinse well under cold water. Boil them 10 minutes in a large pot of water to loosen the skins.
2. Then PEEL the chickpeas by gently pinching each one between thumb and finger; the skin slips right off. This is ESSENTIAL for silky-smooth hummus.
3. Peeling is what separates GOOD hummus from GREAT hummus. Tedious, but worth it for the velvety texture.
4. Remove the germ from the 5 garlic cloves. In the large, powerful blender, put the peeled chickpeas, garlic, tahini, juice of the 3 lemons, 60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil, ground cumin, salt and pepper. Blend 1 minute.
5. With the blender running, pour in the ice water IN A THIN STREAM. Ice water is the Lebanese chefs' trick for light, fluffy hummus. Blend 5 MINUTES until perfectly creamy.
6. The long blending time is ESSENTIAL. Most recipes blend for just 1 minute, which gives grainy, dense hummus.
7. Adjust the seasoning to taste (salt, lemon juice). It should be VERY creamy; if too thick, add a little more ice water. Refrigerate 1 hour for the flavors to develop.
8. Spread the hummus in the round serving dish, making a well in the center. Pour 40 ml (3 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil into the well. Sprinkle generously with smoked paprika, sumac, toasted sesame seeds and chopped parsley. Serve with warm pitas.