In the United States, making creamy, authentically flavored hummus at home is akin to chasing rainbows. It requires purely Mediterranean tahini, preferably made from toasted Humera white sesame seeds from Ethiopia, which can be difficult to find overseas let alone at a reasonable price.
I’ve splurged on authentic tahini very occasionally, but more often than not…
I’ve implemented workarounds toward creamy hummus from painstakingly peeling every chickpea to cooking them in a range of alkaline solutions made with baking soda and water. And though I found a (1% alkaline) solution I like, I don’t always cook my chickpeas in it –
because I’m forced to turn alkaline solution-cooked chickpeas into some kind of purée!
Baking soda, however desirably, destroys the integrity of chickpeas’ skins and shapes. So, unless I’m definitely making hummus, I prefer to cook my dried chickpeas in plain water to preserve their versatility. Or, I buy canned chickpeas which were likewise simmered in water alone.
Thus, my quest evolved:
How can I produce creamy hummus with water-cooked chickpeas?
This question bobbed in my head until I noticed, “INGREDIENTS: STEAMED CHICKPEAS…” on yet another container of store-bought hummus I defeatedly plopped into my cart.
STEAMED CHICKPEAS?!
Hummus Level 1 Unlocked: Creaminess
Indeed, steaming already (water-)cooked chickpeas further softens their skins priming them to surrender into a ubiquitously smooth dip. Combined with the authentic but affordable Soom tahini I could find locally, I was set –
until my grocers stopped carrying it.
Joyva became my only option; authentically flavored hummus became my new challenge.
Taking the “oy” out of Joyva
Joyva tahini isn’t…bad tahini. In fact, Tiffany Hopkins on the esteemed foodie publication epicurious ranks it second of 18 varieties!
But it’s not authentic either. Born and raised over 100 years ago in New York City, the Joyva company imports sesame seeds from China, India, and South America (as well as Africa). Their tahini is an undeniably savory product with a taste that is powerfully bitter, and a flavor profile that includes garlic and peanut butter notes. I also find it difficult to stir.
Mediterranean tahini, by contrast, effortlessly swings into sweet and savory applications. Moreover, it’s always ready to be drizzled onto a dessert or salad; just a stir or two and its pleasantly bitter taste from oxalates can balance a sugary treat or deepen a salty preparation.
Oxalates are in lemon peels!
Alongside limonin, lemon peels contain an incredibly similar collection of taste and flavor compounds to Humera sesame seeds. Both are literally bittersweet!
Again, my quest evolved:
Can using whole lemons in hummus compensate for inauthentic tahini?
They can!
Hummus Level 2 Unlocked: Authentic Flavor
My preference is to add a small amount of whatever tahini I can buy into water-cooked chickpeas steamed with whole lemon pieces. Sometimes, this hack covers a subpar paste; other times, it stretches a splurge on a good one.
And as an added bonus, if you have a sesame allergy, you can omit tahini altogether and still experience authentically flavored creamy hummus!
So, whether you need to address an inauthentic tahini, stretch money spent on an authentic one, or omit sesame seeds altogether, my hack of tapping into the similar taste and flavor compounds in lemon peels may be a (100% practical) solution for you.
Roughly chop and steam them with chickpeas to achieve store-bought creaminess too!
FAQs
“Aren’t oxalates anti-nutrients?”
As a professional plant-based cook, I generally defer all nutrition questions to Dr. Michael Greger of nutritionfacts.org. He advises curbing unusually high oxalate intake (especially people prone to kidney stones), but also explains that high-oxalate foods are healthier to include than avoid.
“OK, high-oxalate foods like citrus rinds aren’t bad…but are they good for me?”
yes!
According to Ariane Lang, RD, on healthline, there are at least 9 benefits and no side effects for humans eating lemons whole.
“If I’m going to be eating lemon peel, should I be buying organic lemons?
not necessarily.
Kelly D’Amico, MBS, at Made to Sustain! offers some insight to inform what is ultimately your decision regarding organic produce.
Creamy Whole-Lemon Hummus
Description
Harness the flavor of authentic tahini by tapping into the uncannily similar flavor compounds of whole lemons. Steam pieces with chickpeas and garlic to achieve a creamy texture.
You may wish to access Steamed Garlic and Pan-Toasted Nuts (or Seeds) as well.
Ingredients
Hummus
Optional Garnishes
Instructions
-
Reserve a few chickpeas for garnish. Place remaining beans in steamer basket, then nestle-in lemon pieces cut-side down. If using, add unpeeled garlic cloves.
If your chickpeas were cooked in an alkaline solution of baking soda and water, then steam only the lemon pieces and garlic cloves (if necessary). -
Fill steamer pot with 1 in/2.5 cm water. Bring to boil.
-
Place basket in pot, then cover and reduce heat to medium-high. Steam 20 minutes.
Reserve steamer pot liquid! -
If necessary, carefully pop-out hot cloves from peels. Then, transfer basket contents to food processor. Process, scrape sides, and process again until a dry dough ball forms.
SEE: Note for a link to a brief unlisted YouTube video that illustrates the dry dough ball. -
Add minced or Steamed Garlic (if using) and salt. Process until evenly incorporated scraping sides as needed. Repeat with tahini (also if using), 7 Tbsp (105 mL/98 g) olive oil, and steamer pot liquid processing well between each addition.
-
Run motor 5 minutes without stopping! As desired, adjust texture by alternately adding 2 Tbsp (30 mL/28g) oil then liquid at a time.
-
Onto a platter or into a bowl, mound and swirl hummus with back of a spoon.
-
Top with reserved chickpeas, remaining 1 Tbsp (15 mL/14 g) oil, and any optional garnishes. Serve with sliced vegetables and/or pita (chips).
Note
I have a brief unlisted YouTube video to illustrate the dry dough ball mentioned in Step 4.
Refrigerate leftover hummus in an airtight container for up to one week.
