Garlic Hummus Tahini Dip

Yields 4 cups

Ingredients

1 cup dried chickpeas

2 teaspoons baking soda

Juice of 1 1/2 large lemons (about 1/3 cup), more to taste

2 to 4 cloves garlic, grated

1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste

1 cup sesame tahini

½ teaspoon ground cumin, more to taste

Paprika, for serving

Olive oil, for serving

Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

1. In a bowl, cover chickpeas by at least 2 inches of cold water. Add 1 teaspoon baking soda and let soak at room temperature overnight. Drain and rinse. Baking soda helps soften legumes (like chickpeas and beans) more quickly because it creates an alkali environment that weakens the beans’ pectic bonds. The result is super creamy hummus instead of dry & chunky hummus.
2. Place soaked chickpeas in a medium pot and cover with 5 inches of water. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon baking soda and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium high and let cook at a vigorous simmer until chickpeas are quite soft, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (Overcooked chickpeas are the secret to creamy hummus, so don’t worry if they start to break down a little.) Drain.
3. While chickpeas are cooking, make the tahini sauce. In a blender, combine the lemon juice, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let mixture sit 10 minutes. Add tahini, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the cumin, and blend until a thick paste forms. Add 1/3 to 2/3 cup ice water while blender is running, a little at a time, until sauce is smooth. You’re looking for a perfectly smooth, creamy sauce.
4. Add the drained chickpeas to blender with tahini mixture. Blend until perfectly smooth and not at all grainy, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl occasionally, about 2 minutes; until the mixture is ultra-creamy and fluffy, adding a little water if needed to keep ingredients moving in the blender. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt, lemon juice and/or cumin as needed.

5. To serve, spread the hummus on a plate, dust with paprika, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with parsley.