1 cup dry chickpeas
Water
1 teaspoon baking soda
2–3 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon salt
Tahini and water, to make a paste
Ground cumin
Fresh, coarsely-cut coriander leaves
Salt to taste
The night before you plan to cook, combine the chickpeas, 2.5 cups of water, and baking soda. Leave to soak for 6–12 hours.
6–12 hours
Rinse.
Add the rinsed chickpeas to 3 cups of water, along with the garlic and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil. After about 45 minutes, they should swell enough for their skins to come off. Give it a stir, and use a slotted spoon to remove as many of the skins as you can from the water.
45 minutes
Cover the pot and continue cooking for about 2 hours, or until they almost dissolve to a paste.
2 hours
Pour out the water. If desired, some can be reserved to add later, for extra flavor.
Mash the chickpeas by pressing them through a pasta sieve or use a food processor.
Let it cool for 10 minutes.
10 minutes
Add tahini and water until you get the right consistency.
Season with salt, ground cumin, and coriander leaves.
- •Fresh lemon juice can be substituted for some of the water
- •Some cooks add tahini concentrate and lemon juice, instead of diluted tahini.
- •Serve with any combination of olive oil, tahini, za'atar, roast pine nuts, and/or French fries.