Hummus

Hummus is an Arabic word for Chickpeas. It is made by cooking chickpeas (commonly known as garbanzo beans) until soft and spicing them up with paprika, olive oil, garlic, and lemon to provide a protein-rich breakfast, typically eaten with flatbread. Technically, soft creamy chickpeas are called hummus bi tahini in Arabic, which means chickpeas with tahini.

In the Arab world, hummus is more than an occasional breakfast dip or appetizer. Hummus is a staple food, a daily diet of hummus with bread and olives, and olive oil is a common sight at any cafe or tea shop. It is a nourishing staple perfected over the centuries.

Today most Arabs buy it in shops. So gone are the good old days of homemade hummus. Instead, it is often served alongside flatbread and plates of fresh salads, pickled vegetables, and falafel. Traditionally hummus preparation results in a lemony, creamy paste, with some garlic paste and a touch of a few spices like cumin powder and paprika. Arabs typically serve hummus as a creamy, smooth, and slightly thin spread, on a round plate or a shallow bowl, with olive oil drizzled over it.

In the Middle East, it is traditional to eat communally, from a large plate or a common bowl. The polite way to eat is to pick up the hummus from the side of the common bowl nearest to you. Children are taught never to drag their bread across the plate or bowl of hummus. Instead, they hold a small piece of bread to the hummus, pinch it with the bread together, and pick it up into the flatbread fold. This way, you maintain hygiene while eating together.

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