Spicy Hummus with Crispy Chickpeas
by Caren McSherry
This dip is a global classic, with versions that abound. The standard ingredients include garlic, tahini, lemon juice, cumin and olive oil. Twists on classics are always a good thing, so I chose to add Moroccan spice, and top with crispy whole chickpeas, a crumble of feta, torn cilantro and pomegranate seeds.
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Ingredients:
- 1 can (19 oz) chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
- 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp tahini paste
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp Moroccan seasoning spice blend
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- Pinch sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to finish
- 1 cup crumbled Feta cheese (optional)
- 1/2 cup torn fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
Crispy Chickpeas:
- 1 cup of drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
- 1/2 cup rice flour
- 1 cup roasted grapeseed oil for frying
Method:
1. To make the hummus, place the drained chickpeas in the bowl of a food processor. Add the lemon juice, tahini, and garlic, and purée until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, sprinkle in the Moroccan spice, cumin, sea salt, and pepper to taste , and pulse until combined.
2. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. If the hummus seems too thick for your preference, add a few tablespoons of the reserved chickpeas liquid and pulse. Transfer the hummus to a rectangular serving dish.
3. To make the crispy chickpeas, lay 1 cup of chickpeas on paper towel for about 20 minutes to remove most of the moisture. Place the rice flour in a bowl, add the dry chickpeas and toss to ensure they are evenly coated. Place the chickpeas in a mesh sieve and give them a shake or two to remove any excess flour. Heat the oil in pan over medium-high heat until it sizzles when you drop in a chickpeas. In small batches, about a handful at a time to avoid overcrowding, fry the chickpeas until crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper towel and let it cool.
4. Sprinkle the chickpeas over the hummus, along with the feta, cilantro, and pomegranate seeds, if using, and a drizzle of olive oil.
5. Serve with seeded baguette or pita chips. The hummus can be made-up to 5 days ahead and kept in the refrigerator, while the crispy chickpeas can be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 days—if they last that long!
Makes 3 cups of hummus and 1 cup of crispy chickpeas
Copyright © 2018 caren mcsherry
2. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. If the hummus seems too thick for your preference, add a few tablespoons of the reserved chickpeas liquid and pulse. Transfer the hummus to a rectangular serving dish.
3. To make the crispy chickpeas, lay 1 cup of chickpeas on paper towel for about 20 minutes to remove most of the moisture. Place the rice flour in a bowl, add the dry chickpeas and toss to ensure they are evenly coated. Place the chickpeas in a mesh sieve and give them a shake or two to remove any excess flour. Heat the oil in pan over medium-high heat until it sizzles when you drop in a chickpeas. In small batches, about a handful at a time to avoid overcrowding, fry the chickpeas until crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper towel and let it cool.
4. Sprinkle the chickpeas over the hummus, along with the feta, cilantro, and pomegranate seeds, if using, and a drizzle of olive oil.
5. Serve with seeded baguette or pita chips. The hummus can be made-up to 5 days ahead and kept in the refrigerator, while the crispy chickpeas can be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 days—if they last that long!
Makes 3 cups of hummus and 1 cup of crispy chickpeas
Copyright © 2018 caren mcsherry
Filed Under: hummus, chickpeas, vegetarian, starter,
