Hummus
Origin
The word hummus originates from the Arabic word for chickpea. However, the origin of the actual dish is widely debated till this day. Many countries have sought to claim the dish as their own. Greece, Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, and Palestine have all insisted that the dish originated in their own countries. However, there are food scholars who claim through historical sources that the dish had its beginnings in ancient Egypt, pointing to recipes for a similar dish in cookbooks written in Cairo in the 13th century. Nonetheless, the dish’s popularity is generally credited to the Arab world.
Hummus has an important cultural significance in many countries but is also a symbol of political drama within the Middle East. Both Lebanon and Israel have claimed it to be their traditional national dish and have tried to outdo each other in producing the world’s largest hummus dish for the Guinness Book of World Records.
Often consumed as an appetiser, Hummus is a healthy snack that is high in iron, fibre and Omega-3 fatty acids. It has since become highly popular around the world. The New York Times reported that the hummus industry in the United States alone totalled $530 million in 2012.
Description
Hummus is a savoury dip made from chickpeas. The chickpeas are smashed and mixed with tahini, olive oil, garlic, pepper, cumin and lemon to produce a smooth puree. There are many ways to consume hummus. You can either pour it in salads in replacement of mayonnaise, spread it over pita bread or serve as a dip for chicken fingers and buffalo wings.
Ingredients
Chickpeas, tahini (sesame paste), olive oil, clove garlic, ground black pepper, ground cumin or paprika, lemon, parsley leaves
