Conflict cooking between Lebanon and Israel

Reading on BBC online, it appears that the latest conflict between Lebanon and Israel is all about hummus – please note that’s hummus not Hamas.

The delicious spread, made from chickpeas is usually blended with sesame paste, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. It has been eaten in the Middle East for centuries, though its exact origin is unknown.

However, the Lebanese claim it as their own while the Palestinians also claim to have invented it. The rivalry has intensified as both nations attempt to produce a record-breaking vat of the stuff.

Well, I say make hummus not war and here’s a recipe that’s really simple and cheap to make. Tesco own brand make a decent tub of the stuff for a good price but making your own is very satisfying.

Hummus

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

• 200g canned chickpeas
• 2 tbsp lemon juice or more
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• salt
• 100ml tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 4 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika

Instructions:

1. Drain the chickpeas and rinse. Reserve a few whole chickpeas for serving.
2. Combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt, tahini, and water in a food processor, and blend to a creamy purée.
3. Add more lemon juice, garlic, cumin or salt to taste. Place into a bowl and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and scatter with the reserved chickpeas.
4. Sprinkle with paprika and serve with pita bread.