Hummus Makes the World Go Round

Ah, the humble chickpea.  It sits there all unassuming and quiet, yellow-gold and round, just waiting for it's goodness to be unleashed.  

Apparently, we have been unleashing the goodness of chickpeas for about 7,500 years, making it one of the earliest cultivated legumes.  Starting out in the Middle East, chickpeas eventually made their way to Greece and Italy.  Given the conquering, invading, and generally socially unacceptable habits of the Romans, chickpeas quickly found their way to bowls around the world.  When I look at one of those lovely little yellow-gold gems, I like to imagine a large iron pot hanging over a fire, surrounded by weary Roman soldiers, anxious to dig into a scrumptious bowl of chickpea stew.

However, since we are currently in the middle of a heat wave, I am on the hunt for a nice cool meal, and so, am paying homage to the Middle Eastern wonder of hummus. That delightful blend of chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and salt that never fails to satisfy, even in the depths of winter (when normal people seek out hearty stews and soups I still love hummus).


I like my hummus with some raw veg (carrot, celery, and red pepper are my go to choices).  However, hummus also makes a very fine filling for a wrap - a thick layer of hummus, topped with a carrot, raisin, & cilantro slaw, and some nice fresh lettuce of your choice, and you have a simple, delicious and hugely nutritious, portable meal.  Of course, another of my hands down favourites is garlic toast smeared with a healthy portion of hummus (best, and less offensive, if everyone present has some too!) 


As usual, I like to twist things up.  I add cumin and curry powder to my hummus, taking things to a different, but equally chickpea friendly, continent entirely.  These Indian spices add another layer of goodness to an already wonderful dish and open up more mouth watering possibilities.  Instead of pita bread, try Naan. Or, try it with some oven roasted spicy potatoes instead of raw veggies. Or, add some to your next batch of Curried Cauliflower Soup.  Totally versatile and just begging for some attention, it's no wonder the humble little chickpea has been around for so long!