Homemade Hummus - I need your help ;)

I would always go for dried chickpeas. The canned ones have a tinny flavor to me and I'm always leery of what else might be in that can. It's very easy to cook up a bunch of chickpeas (first soaking them overnight), use what you need and then freeze the rest, perhaps in small quantities, so you've got them ready to reheat and puree anytime hummus hunger strikes.

I use canned... prefer Bush's. And I do pop the peels... it's a great way to catch a breath sometimes. Only takes 10-15 minutes and 1 glass of wine.

Best and to my mind only hummus: https://food52.com/recipes/22888-yotam-ottolenghi-sami-tamimi-s-basic-hummus Baking soda step cuts down on cooking time. I make double, even triple, batches and freeze in deli containers, perking it up once defrosted with fresh lemon juice, more olive oil, dukkah, pinches of ground toasted cumin, etc. Serve with homemade (ridiculously easy!!) lavash crackers sprinkled with dukkah or za'atar or just salt, pepper, cumin, whatever. (Buy lavash rectangles, heat oven, brush with oil and sprinkle on spice, cut with a pizza cutter, put in oven for 2 minutes. A week's worth + some for friends can be made in 30 minutes + or minus, depending on how fast your oven heats. Recipe here: https://food52.com/recipes/30539-dukkah-dusted-lavash-crackers) ;o)

Susan, Henry, Irina, Sam, trampledbygeese, Nancy, amysarah, May Fine - thank you so much you are awesome! I used the dried chickpeas for my Hummus and it was perfect! Everybody liked it! Thanks for your help and for your recommendation. BTW: May Fine - the website you shared is really cool. I'm gonna check it out soon.

I lived in the "Hummus Land" Israel for few years and the authentic Hummus places all over the country (and all over the Middle East) are always using only dried chickpeas. It takes more time, right, but if you don't want to compromise - that's the real thing!
I found this store where you can buy middle eastern ready to prepare food kits with all the ingredients you need for hummus and other stuff (look at the ready to cook packs): http://www.youssefandjoseph.com/

Anyway - it doesn't matter if you'll choose the canned version or the dried version - I wish you good luck and don't forget to share with us the result :)
Cheers
May

Hummus is usually a last minute thing for me too, so I tend to rely on canned. But maybe experiment - do a recipe using dried, then next time you make it, use canned - or vice versa - and see what you think, if the extra effort is worth it to you. It's the kind of thing you can endlessly fiddle with anyway - proportion of tahini, lemon, olive oil, etc. - to find 'your' hummus.

Dried chickpeas are great... if you have the time.

Hummus for me is always a last minute addition to the menu, so I usually go with a can of chickpeas (drained).

Here's our tried and true family recipe (shhh, don't tell anyone, it's secret):

Chickpeas - one can, drained (keep the peas, toss the liquid/jelly goop)
Garlic - lots plus some (we love garlic) or if serving to normal people, about 3 cloves
Sesame oil- drizzle (optional)
Tahini - never bother with it, but everyone seems to love it, about a Tablespoon
Lemon or lime juice - huge splash
Salt - pinch

all goes in the blender

olive oil - drizzle and blits, drizzle and blitz, until you get the texture you like (I like mine chunky, or as they call it in culinary circles, rustic).

That's it. Take all of 4 minutes to make and tidy up.

Now, as to how my friend from the Middle East makes it - chickpeas (canned), tahini (huge amount maybe 1/2 cup per can chickpeas), a couple cloves garlic, lime juice, loads of salt, blitzes it until it's creamy and smooth (adding olive oil as needed during blending).

Basically there's (almost) no wrong way to make hummus, so once you get your favourite recipe, feel free to experiment. We won't judge if you want to try lentils instead of chickpeas, or shallots instead of garlic (both are tasty). Feel free to let us know what you try and how it went.

A note about tahini and sesame, they add a nice flavour which is traditional in many regions. Then again, I was over 30 the first time I had tahini in my hummus and still can't get use to it. Sesame is a common allergen so if cooking for others, either leave it out (tastes just fine without, in my opinion) or ask about dietary requirements.

ps, love the picture you chose with your question.

I'll go for canned. It makes a creamery Hummus. Drain it first and add the liquid later. Soaked and Cooked beans---you have to start the night before...and then you have to deal with the little shells.

Tahini, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil and salt. Go by taste adding while blending it in a mini-prep food processor; add the reserved 'juice' to get a creamy consistently.

Also...as an aside Thaini is stupid expensive. So much here, it's cheaper to mail order it via Amazon prime then a store.

and a bit of tahini of course. and lemon juice.
canned is fine and easier.
cheers
irina

No matter what I make, I like using dried beans over canned. I prefer the texfure and feel dried are more nutritious and I don't have to think about any chemicals from the can leaching into the beans.

I have the luxury of free time and I am good about planning ahead. If you are ina hurry, use canned beans. Your hummus will still be delicious and you can try the dried bean version next time.