PreeOccupied: middle eastern

It helps when your mother-in-law to-be and you live in the same city. It gets even better when the son lives in far away Canada, which means that you get the undivided attention of his Mother.

Almost every weekend, before I got married to P, my Mum-in-law would make sure she would send me home-cooked food from their place to mine. This was in Delhi. Among her favorite things to send would be a jar of freshly made Garlic Hummus which she learnt many years ago during their stay in the Middle East.

I got so hooked to her Garlic Hummus, that I would eat it with everything. Including slices of toasted bread. Before my jar of Ma’s Hummus got over, she would make more and send through someone or bring it herself. I also think she did not mind a prospective daughter-in-law with garlic breath, as long as the garlic was from her Hummus.

I have learnt to make Ma’s Garlic Hummus, and find it an easy dip for finger food of freshly cut vegetables like carrots, celery, broccoli, etc.

Ingredients for Garlic Hummus are:

2 cups cooked chickpeas, retain a little water its boiled in
3 tablespoons white sesame seeds, lightly roasted
4-5 garlic cloves
Juice of one lemon
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Sprig of fresh parsley
Quarter cup + 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Traditionally, Tahini is used in Hummus, but if you don’t have it, use roasted sesame seeds like I do.

Start by breaking down the sesame seeds in a blender. Then add the chickpeas, garlic, EVOO and lemon juice and give it a good whoosh, till you get a thick, smooth consistency. You can add spoonfuls of the water you have retained from cooking the chickpeas to get the right consistency of the Hummus.

Do a taste test and see if you need any salt. Season accordingly.

Just before serving, drizzle a little more of the EVOO, a generous pinch of chopped fresh parsley and cayenne pepper on the Hummus. You can use it as a spread between your pita bread or roti, or just as a freshly made dip for breadsticks, vegetables or kebabs.