Hummus Variations

Hummus is the chameleon of the culinary world. There are infinite possibilities of delicious dips based on the simple concoction of chick pea, tahini, lemon and garlic. Really, the sky is the limit when it comes to hummus. And I love to eat them all.

I talked briefly on the phone with my mom on Sunday and she told me that she had made her own version of the cilantro and jalapeno hummus you can get at Trader Joe's. I haven't been able to think of anything else since then, so I made some myself to have as a snack between classes for the rest of the week.

Making hummus is the opposite of baking. It is an art, not a science. I never get hung up on amounts when I make it. Everything is done by eye, and by taste. Put in a little more lemon juice. Taste. Add more garlic. Taste. Salt and pepper. Et cetera. For this particular batch of hummus I decided to replace your regular, everyday garlic with some pickled garlic that my mom gave me. It gave the hummus a subtle flavor that I like.

Cilantro & Jalapeno Hummus

• 1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded
• 5-6+ cloves pickled garlic
• 2 limes, juice of
• 2 14 oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 T tahini (sesame paste)
• 1-2 handfuls of cilantro, roughly chopped
• salt and pepper

Process jalapeno, garlic and lime juice in food processor until finely minced. Add chickpeas and tahini and process until smooth. Add cilantro and process until well incorporated. Taste. Adjust ingredients and add salt and pepper to your taste.

I will be eating this wrapped up in a whole-wheat tortillas with a sprinkling of feta cheese and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Yum! I think it could stand to be a little spicier, though. I can't decide if I should use two de-seeded jalapenos next time, or just leave the seeds in the one...

Have a favorite hummus variation of your own? Share plz!