Smooth Middle Eastern Hummus

This recipe is a combination of several recipes I found online that described traditional Middle Eastern hummus and how to get the smooth texture found in many restaurants. The result is delicious and, I believe, very near authentic.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans), soaked overnight
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons raw organic tahini
• Sea salt, to taste
• Ground cumin
• Paprika

Directions:

Place chickpeas in fresh water with at least 3 inches of water above the top of the beans. Bring beans to a boil then lower to a simmer. Simmer covered for one hour, or until tender.

Remove beans from heat, drain liquid and set aside. De-husk beans by pinching the outer husk out of each bean, and discard the husk. You may soak the beans in cool water to cool them off while doing this. You may also want to try rubbing the beans between your hands in order to rub the husks off of the beans. I found it easier to pinch them individually than rubbing them.

When the beans have been de-husked, place them in a food processor with the lemon juice, olive oil, tahini and salt. Puree until smooth. If the hummus is too thick, slowly add the cooking liquid until you've reached the right consistency.

Spoon into a serving bowl and dust with cumin and paprika.

Nutritional Info:
Serving Size: Approx. 1/4 cup (2 oz.)

Calories	226
Calories from Fat	107
Total Fat	12g	19% DV
Saturated Fat	2g	8% DV
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0mg	0% DV
Sodium	401mg	17% DV
Total Carbohydrate	23g	8% DV
Dietary Fiber	7g	26% DV
Sugars	4g
Protein	8g