n Israel, hummus is breakfast, not a party dip. Our education began in Tel Aviv at Abu Hassan, the country’s premier hummus shop, where
customers get wide, shallow bowls of hummus topped with whole chickpeas, a sprinkle of parsley, pops of red paprika and amber cumin. The hummus is light, almost sour cream smooth—and warm.
When re-creating the hummus, we found we needed to start with dried chickpeas, not canned, and simmer them with baking soda to ensure they completely softened. Small chickpeas like Whole Foods Market 365 Everyday Value brand worked well. Make sure to soak the chickpeas for at least 12 hours before cooking, and if your chickpeas are on the large side, you’ll need to cook them for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until starting to break down. And for the smoothest, lightest hummus, process the chickpeas while they’re still warm, and give them a full 3 minutes during the first stage. As for tahini, we liked the Kevala brand, but Soom and Aleppo were good, too. Processing the chickpeas while warm ensures the smoothest, lightest hummus, as will processing it for a full three minutes in the first stage. Hummus traditionally is served warm and garnished with paprika, cumin, chopped fresh parsley and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Sometimes a sliced hard-boiled egg is added. Leftover hummus can be refrigerated for up to five days. To reheat, transfer to a microwave-safe bowl, cover and gently heat, adding a few tablespoons of tap water as needed to reach the proper consistency, 1 to 2 minutes