Ethiopian-Style Hummus

Hummus is a delight any time of year, but when it's hot outside it appears much more often because it's so quick and easy to make and a pleasure to enjoy on the patio on a lazy day. This particular recipe was a bit different as it has an Ethiopian twist. I made up a homemade batch of a hot and aromatic spice blend, berbere, that is often the key ingredient in Ethiopian cooking. I don't have a lot of experience with Ethiopian cuisine, but my background in Indian cooking certainly made the introduction easier than expected.

Berbere is spicy, but not overly so. It adds a distinctive blend of chili and aromatic spice flavor to this hummus. But it's not just the berbere that gives this hummus a unique taste. Classic hummus is made with tahini in addition to chickpeas, but this version uses toasted ground sunflower seeds ground to a butter instead of tahini. The sunflower seeds provide a wonderful rich nutty flavor behind the hot and fragrant berbere.

The inspiration was a recent cookbook that I am happy to add to my expanding collection. Teff Love: Adventures in Vegan Ethiopian Cooking by Kittee Berns is certainly an inspiration with a vegan approach besides. I have made only a few recipes from the book thus far, but already I have bookmarked a great deal of ideas. I've always wanted to make my own injera bread — a sourdough spongy crêpe that is the foundation of most Ethiopian meals. It is most commonly made with teff flour. I was surprised to note that teff doesn't figure all that much in this book, except as flour and in the bread that serves as the platform for so many of the dishes, but that tiny grain has so much flavor that is best served on the side or used as a flour. Nonetheless, my overall reflection on this book is yum. Basics, entrées and even a few desserts are featured along with some fine photos selectively inserted. Overall, the book is inspiring, with helpful tips for those that are new to Ethiopian cuisine. There are enough healthy recipes in the book to keep me going for a long time and not enough time in a day to cook up the Ethiopian feast I dream of.

Note: I received a copy of this book for possible review. As always, the opinions expressed here are my own.

Ethiopian-Style Hummus

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Teff Love: Adventures in Vegan Ethiopian Cooking Cuisine: Ethiopian Published on July 20, 2015 An Ethiopian-style chickpea and berbere hummus with a rich nutty flavor from ground roasted sunflower seeds Print this recipe Ingredients: 3/4 cup dried chickpeas (2 1/4 cups cooked) 1/2 cup raw (or roasted and unsalted) sunflower seeds 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste 1/3 cup water 1 tablespoon olive oil + more for garnish 1 clove garlic, minced zest from 1 lemon (1 teaspoon) juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) 1 1/2 teaspoons berbere powder + more for garnish 1 green chili, seeded and finely chopped Instructions: Rinse the chickpeas and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the chickpeas are tender — 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain and set aside until cool. If using raw sunflower seeds, toast them in a dry unoiled skillet or saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until they are golden — about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a food processor, setting aside a teaspoon or so for garnish. (If using roasted sunflower seeds, skip the toasting step and transfer directly to the food processor.) Process until the seeds are reduced to a fine powder and begin to release their oil, scraping down the sides of the bowl often. This should take about 5 minutes, or a little longer. Essentially the goal is to reduce the seeds to a butter. Add the chickpeas and salt and process until the mixture comes together. Add the water, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, berbere powder and chili. Process further until everything is well combined, adding a bit more water or oil as desired. Mix another few teaspoons of olive oil with a pinch or two of berbere powder. Transfer to a serving bowl and make a well in the center of the hummus. Drizzle in the oil and berbere mixture and garnish with the reserved toasted sunflower seeds. Serving possibilities are endless. You can scoop it up with flat breads, lightly baked pita breads or fresh raw vegetables. Or you may want to consider serving the hummus up in pinwheels. To do that, lightly toast classic injera bread in a preheated 300° oven for about 8 to 10 minutes until the edges are slightly crispy. Brush the bread with olive oil mixed with a 1/2 teaspoon berbere powder and cut into strips. Spread hummus over the strips, roll them up tightly, and cut them into bite-size rounds. Makes 4 to 6 servings

More hummus recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Avocado Chickpea Hummus
Spicy Indian-Style Hummus
Marinated Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus with Olives
Lemony Basil Hummus