Hummus with tahini and lemon

About this recipe

Hummus with tahini and lemon is a traditional chickpea dip enjoyed across the Levant and the eastern Mediterranean. Its central ingredients are cooked chickpeas, sesame paste, fresh lemon juice and garlic. This version uses canned chickpeas that are simmered again until particularly soft before blending. That extra cooking phase can reduce graininess even without removing each chickpea skin by hand. The tahini is stirred first to restore a uniform texture, then mixed with lemon, garlic, salt and cumin. Ice-cold water is incorporated a little at a time to keep the finished dip smooth and thick enough for serving. Stirring the sesame paste before weighing also incorporates the oil that may have collected at the surface of the jar. Olive oil, paprika, parsley and a few whole chickpeas finish the bowl. Keep the sesame-containing hummus refrigerated when it is not being served.