Sauteed Onion Hummus - (Free Recipe below)

Caramelized Onion Hummus

Serves:  4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup dried organic chickpeas
• 6 tbsp raw sesame tahini
• Juice of 1 lemon, or more to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed, or more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Cold pressed extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish and frying onions
• 1 medium brown onion, sliced
• Smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Fresh coriander or parsley, chopped for garnish
• Sea salt, to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons bicarbonate soda (baking soda)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• [Optional] Organic pine nuts, toasted, for garnish
• [Optional] 3 tablespoons jalapeño pepper slices (for the HOT HOT HOT spice lovers)

INSTRUCTIONS

*Hummus tastes more delicious when prepared on the day you want to serve it.  So, boil the chickpeas and prepare on the day.  Refrigerated hummus cannot compare to fresh hummus.

1. Put the dry chickpeas in a medium sized bowl and cover with cold water.  Fill the bowl with enough water to completely cover them up.  Stir in 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate soda and soak overnight.  Note: Soaking the chickpeas in bicarbonate soda will make them very tender.
2. Drain the chickpeas and rinse them off thoroughly.  Then place them in a large pot with enough cold water to cover.  Add the remainder 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate soda.
3. Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat.  Simmer the chickpeas partially covered for roughly 1-2 hours, or until they are tender (the time depends on your chickpeas).  Note: You will know they are ready once their skin starts coming off.  Add more warm water if the chickpeas start to dry out.
4. Drain the chickpeas, but don’t throw out the chickpea water.  Save it in a bowl. Set aside some chickpeas and place them on a plate. You will want to use these for garnish.
5. Heat a frying fan with roughly 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Slice the medium brown onion and cook over medium heat until they are golden brown or caramelised.  Once ready, set aside.
6. Tahini Time:  Mix the tahini with half of the lemon juice and half of the garlic.  Then pour in some of the reserved chickpea water and quickly stir to form a loose paste.
7. Get out your processor and add the tahini mixture and the chickpeas.  Process until the hummus is smooth.  Then, add the cumin, caramelised onion, cayenne pepper, sea salt, and black pepper to taste.  If it is too thick, add more reserved chickpea liquid.  You can add a bit of olive oil, too.  The goal is to create a soft paste.
8. Get a spoon and taste your hummus.  Does it need more flavour?  Simply add more sea salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, lemon juice or garlic.  Remember it is your dish, so play around with the flavours.
9. To serve, spoon out the hummus onto a large plate or bowl.  Make a depression in the centre with the back of a spoon.  Drizzle olive oil over the hummus, top with the reserved whole cooked chickpeas, and sprinkle the smoked paprika and chopped coriander on top.

Serve with warm pita chips, rice cakes, brown rice, quinoa, sweet potato wedges, or sliced raw vegetables.  You can also use this delicious hummus as a sandwich spread with lots of salad and guacamole.

Hummus contains 20 amino acids – including huge doses of tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tyrosine.  These combat the blues and mood swings.  Additionally, hummus’ omega 3’s help fight anxiety and depression. 

NUTRIENTS

Vitamin C, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, 
E, K, iron, beta-carotene, 
folic acid, calcium, copper, 
iodine, magnesium, manganese, 
phosphorus, potassium, selenium, 
and zinc