Chickpea & Sesame Dip
Hummus bi Tahini
(Serves 6-8)

You can buy very good commercial hummus, but this homemade version is excellent. Adapt it to your taste—use more or less lemon and garlic; add dill, hot pepper flakes, minced roasted peppers or olives. New York Times writer Jane Brody even adds dollop of plain yogurt—it’s delicious!

8 oz. can of chickpeas (drained)*
3 lemons (juiced)
6 T tahini (see sidebar)
3-4 garlic cloves (crushed)
salt to taste
1-2 T olive oil—to garnish
paprika—to garnish
fresh Parley (chopped)—to garnish

Drain and simmer chickpeas for 30 minutes, just to make certain they're tender. Reserve cooking water.

In a food processor, combine chickpeas with lemon juice, tahinii, and garlic. Blend to a smooth, creamy consistency. If you need more liquid, add a bit of the cooking water. Add salt to taste.

Turn out into a bowl or platter. Create a small “crater” in the center and dribble with a little olive oil. Sprinkle with paprika and some finely chopped parsley. Serve with pita.

* You can also use 1/2 lb. dried chick peas. Use Quick Soak method to prepare for cooking: cover peas with water, bring to a boil for 1 minute. Turn off heat and let sit for 1 hour. Then simmer for 30-45 minutes till tender. You can also use Overnight Soak method: let peas sit overnight in a bowl, covered with water. Cook peas 30-45 minutes the next day till tender.

Tips & Glossary: Middle Eastern

Many of the ingredients used for Middle-Eastern cooking may not be in your spice shelf, but you can find them at Mid-Eastern food stores. So to avoid frustration, make a list of the items you need before trying out the recipes.

Toss any old, even unopened, spice jars because they’ve probably lost their distinctive flavors. Put them on your shopping list.

Bulgur Wheat: wheat grains that have been par-boiled, dried, and de-branned. Bulgur has a high fiber content and wonderfully nutty flavor.

Cardamom: related to ginger. Pods (green, brown, or black) are the best way to store the spice, although high-quality ground is readily available. A equivalency: 10 pods = 1½ tsp. ground cardamom.

Coriander: aka cilantro, Chinese, or Mexican parsley.  Fresh leaves and dried ground seeds are used in Mid-East, Asian, Indian, and Mexican cuisines.

Cumin: related to parsley and carrot plant; an important ingredient in chili powder.  Used especially in curries, but also in Mid-Eastern, Mexican and Asian dishes. Cumom has an earthy, peppery flavor.

Deep Frying: oil must be hot enough; otherwise food will be soggy and greasy. Use a deep-fry thermometer to ensure proper temperature is reached. When cool, oil can be strained, refrigerated, and re-used.

Filo: aka phyllo; paper-thin sheets of raw, unleavened flour dough. Purchase frozen in any grocery store and follow directions on package for thawing. When working with one sheet, keep others covered with a damp towel to prevent drying out.

Rosewater: distilled from rose petals and used to flavor Mid-Eastern and Asian cooking. You can make your own—but why? Purchase it at Asian or Middle Eastern food stores.

Semolina flour: used in Mid-East and Asian cooking. In the U.S., it is the same as Farina, the breakfast cereal.

Tahini: paste from ground, hulled sesame seeds. A major ingredient in hummus and other Mid-Eastern and Asian foods, you can purchase at most grocery stores.