Shuk’s hummus

Ingredients

For soaking

• 100g dried chickpeas
• 5g bicarbonate of soda

For the hummus

• 4g bicarbonate of soda
• 50ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to finish
• 200g tahini
• 40ml lemon juice
• ⅔ tbsp salt

For the toppings

• A handful of coriander, leaves picked
• Roasted seasonal vegetables
• Amba, dukkah or harissa paste

Method

Place the dried chickpeas in a container with 400ml water and 5g bicarbonate of soda. Soak these overnight, for 12-18 hours.

Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas, before placing in a pot with the bicarbonate, olive oil and 300ml fresh water. Simmer for 1-2 hours until very soft. The softer the chickpeas, the smoother the hummus, so don’t underdo this part – they should be falling-apart tender, with the skins loosening.

Drain and reserve the aquafaba (cooking water).

While the chickpeas are still warm, use a high-speed blender to blend the chickpeas with the tahini, lemon juice and salt. Add small amounts of the aquafaba as you go until you’ve achieved the desired consistency.

At this stage, you can make adjustments to suit your tastes. More lemon will achieve a brighter hummus, more tahini will bring extra richness, and more aquafaba with mean a lighter, smoother result.

Blend for 2-4 minutes until the hummus is smooth and whipped. It will come together fairly quickly, but don’t be afraid to keep on blending to achieve a super-smooth result.

Spread the hummus onto a wide dish, leaving a space in the middle to add your favourite toppings, a scattering of herbs and an extra drizzle of olive oil.