& the best picture ever! Thank you Blake Ezra as always for bringing my food to life—unsurprisingly, this is my favourite image ever, affectionately known as “Hummus Baby”.

Homemade hummus is a thing of joy, but there is no way of getting away from the fact that it is time-consuming. On the other hand, the flavour of homemade is worlds away from store-bought, so if you have the time, try it for yourself. Below are some tips for great homemade hummus every time.

For best results:

• Use dried chickpeas, as canned ones are often inconsistent in size, flavour, and how well they are cooked.
• Overcook your chickpeas—they should be mushy.
• Peel your cooked chickpeas; the little bits you find in hummus are actually chickpea skins. They add texture (and not in a good way) but no flavour.

INGREDIENTS:

• 300g (1 ½ cups) dried chickpeas
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2.5 liters water
• 150g (⅔ cup) homemade basic tahini  (or store-bought tahini dressing)
• Salt to taste
• Fresh lemon juice, to taste
• Good quality olive oil, to serve (optional)

METHOD:

1. Soak the chickpeas: The night before, put the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with cold water at least twice their volume. Leave to soak overnight.
2. Boil the chickpeas: Drain the chickpeas. Place a medium saucepan over high heat and add the drained chickpeas and baking soda. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Add water and cook: Add the water and bring to a boil. Cook, skimming off any foam and any skins that float to the surface. The chickpeas will need to cook for about 40 minutes (up to 3 hours!), depending on the type and freshness.
4. Check for doneness: Once done, they should be very tender, breaking up easily when pressed between your thumb and finger.
5. Remove skins: Drain chickpeas in a colander and return to the saucepan. Fill the saucepan with cold water and gently swish chickpeas with your fingers to release skins. Pour off most of the water into a colander to collect skins, leaving chickpeas behind. Repeat filling, swishing, and draining 3–4 times until most skins have been removed. Discard skins. Transfer chickpeas to a colander to drain.
6. Blend the hummus: Place the chickpeas in a food processor. Add the prepared tahini and process until you have a very, very, very smooth and creamy paste.
7. Season to taste: Taste and add salt and lemon juice until you have the right amount of zing—the lemon should brighten, not overpower.
8. Rest the hummus: Transfer to a bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. If not using straightaway, refrigerate until needed. Remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving.
9. Serve: Optionally, top with a layer of good quality olive oil before serving.

MAKE AHEAD:

This hummus will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days.