Anna-Bet’s Easy Peasy Hummus

Anna-Bet's Easy Peasy Hummus

Some recipes earn their place in the family repertoire because they’re impressive. Others earn it because they’re so wonderfully easy, affordable, and useful that you find yourself making them again and again.

Anna-Bet’s Easy Peasy Hummus falls firmly into the second camp. It takes a handful of pantry staples, a few minutes of prep, and very little ceremony to turn a humble tin of chickpeas into something creamy, garlicky, and immensely useful. Better yet, there’s no added oil in the hummus itself. The reserved chickpea liquid does the work of helping everything blend into a lovely creamy consistency.

It’s the kind of thing we love having on the table when people gather: spooned into a bowl with something crunchy alongside, added to a generous snack platter, spread onto fresh bread, or simply kept in the fridge for whenever someone wanders through the kitchen feeling peckish.

The recipe even found its way into Anna-Bet’s short story anthology, Goed wat gebeur het met mense op plekke. Because, as it turns out, stories and recipes have something in common: the good ones tend to get passed around.

For our version, we like using Funky Ouma Himalayan Herb Salt and Health Connection tahini, but you can easily use what you have on hand.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tin chickpeas, including the liquid

• 2 cloves of garlic (or more... measure with your heart!)

• 1 tbsp Health Connection tahini

• A squeeze of fresh lemon juice

• Funky Ouma Himalayan Herb Salt, to taste

• Black pepper, to taste

METHOD

1. Add the chickpeas, their liquid, and the garlic to a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan.

2. Warm for about 5 minutes, either in the microwave or gently on the stovetop. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. Transfer the chickpeas, liquid, and garlic to a blender. Add the tahini, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt, and black pepper.

4. Blend until smooth and creamy.

5. Taste and adjust the lemon, salt, or pepper if needed.

6. Spoon into a serving bowl and enjoy just as it is, or dress it up however you like.

That’s it. Easy peasy!

If you don’t mind adding a little oil, finish the hummus with a drizzle of olive oil, a dusting of paprika, and some finely chopped spring onion. Fresh herbs, toasted seeds, or an extra squeeze of lemon would work beautifully too.

Serve as part of a relaxed spread with fresh bread, crackers or crunchy vegetables, pour a glass of your favourite BESTER Family Wine, and settle in. Some of the best things around a table really are the simplest.