Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook (24 page)

 

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For convenience and speed, using canned chickpeas is the way to go, but for really smooth, fresh-tasting hummus, home-cooked beans can’t be beat. Check out the bean-cooking guide (page 43) for directions for preparing chickpeas from dried beans.

THE secret to really creamy hummus is to make it in a blender. It takes a little more work than using a food processor does, but the results are a smoother puree that resembles the good stuff served in Middle Eastern restaurants. Usually we find it helps to add more liquid (by the tablespoon), so take frequent breaks when blending to add a little more liquid and push the hummus around with a rubber spatula each time that you do. The break also allows you to taste and adjust the lemon juice, garlic, and salt as you prepare the hummus.

 

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
⅓ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons sesame tahini
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup water, more or less for desired thickness
Pinch of ground cumin or ground coriander (optional)
Salt and pepper
Paprika (preferably Hungarian smoked paprika, if you
can find it)

Hummus for Bagels

 

HERE in NYC we love our bagels, but a longtime dilemma for vegans has been what to put on them. Sometimes tofu cream cheese is just too heavy, too fake-tasting, or just not available, so hummus has been a traditional standby. Along with a thin slice of tomato and onion, a zesty shmear of hummus is often just what a sesame or “everything” bagel really craves.

If making hummus just for bagels, a thicker consistency is desired. Reduce the olive oil to ¼ cup, up the tahini to ¼ cup, and cut the garlic down to just 1 clove. Omit the water or use just a few tablespoons. This hummus should be easily spreadable with a knife and not “wet” in texture; the grainier consistency lends itself better to spreading on to your bagel in thick layers.

 

1 smallish head cauliflower (2 pounds or so),
chopped into largish pieces
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1½ cups cooked chickpeas, washed and drained,
cooking liquid reserved
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup chopped scallions
¼ cup loosely packed fresh parsley
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
¼ teaspoon paprika
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons or so reserved chickpea cooking liquid

THE key to great guacamole is a great avocado. There’s a sweet spot in the ripening cycle of this magical fruit that is ideal: the outside of the avocado should just start to give when very gently pressed. It should never be too firm or rock hard; don’t manhandle avocados or you’ll be sorry. Very soft, bruised avocados will have brownish, slightly stringy flesh, and might taste bitter. Not that we’ve never made guacamole with these, but they don’t make truly awesome guacamole.