JHB North - Oct 2021

Jane’s healthy hummus
Hummus is a healthy and delicious
spread. The basic recipe is a smooth
blend of chickpeas, tahini (sesame
paste), garlic, cumin, lemon juice,
olive oil and salt. It’s easy to make
and much cheaper, and tastier, than
store bought, especially if you use
dried chickpeas and make your own
tahini. It freezes well, so make a big
batch and freeze small portions. The
secret to smooth, creamy hummus
is soft and mushy chickpeas, and the
trick to this is bicarbonate of soda.
Place the dry chickpeas in a bowl
and cover with at least 8 cm of water.
Add 1 teaspoon of bicarb per cup of
dried chickpeas. Soak overnight, then
simmer for 2 hours in the soaking
water, adding more water if needed.
If using canned chickpeas, cook them
with bicarb for 20 minutes and they’ll
make much creamier hummus.
Once those are ready, purée 2 to 3
garlic cloves, the juice of 1 lemon
and sea salt to taste, and let stand
for about 10 minutes. This tames the
garlic’s pungency, as the acids in the
lemon ‘cook’ it a little.
Add three-quarters of a cup of
tahini and blend until it’s thick and
creamy. Don’t stint on the tahini –
its nutty, slightly bitter taste gives
hummus a rich flavour. (If the oil has
separated out of the tahini, blend it
in beforehand.)
Run the food processor and slowly
add 2 tablespoons of iced water; this
makes the hummus fluffier. If your
tahini is very thick, you might need
to add a couple more tablespoons
of iced water. Add half a teaspoon of
ground cumin and 3 cups of cooked
chickpeas. While blending, drizzle
in 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive
oil. Continue blending until supersmooth,
scraping the sides as needed.
Add more iced water for a creamier
texture. Taste and add salt and lemon
juice if needed. I usually add more of
both but I prefer to add it at the end
rather than adding too much up front.
Many other ingredients can be added
to hummus to make a delicious array
of healthy spreads. Try roast beetroot
with ricotta cheese and mint; roast
carrots with orange juice and
harissa; avo with basil and coriander;
or baked sweet potatoes with hot
curry powder.
22 Get It Magazine October 21
EAT. DRINK.
BE MERRY!
&
Rose petal tea and beetroot hummus and a
glass of rosé ... it’s spoil-yourself-October.
Eat well, live well,
with Jane’s Superfoods
Power powders. Nut butters. Wonder weeds.
From asparagus to zucchini, algae to zinc, avos to Za’atar, Jane’s Delicious
Superfoods for Super Health is an uber-comprehensive guide to all the
delicious, nutrient-rich foods you should eat if you want to boost your immune
system, improve your health and reduce the risk of disease.
Jane, who’s been growing and eating healthy organic food for more than a
quarter of a century, and whose book Jane’s Delicious Garden led to a veggiegrowing
revolution in SA, talks us through fruits and vegetables, seeds and grains,
herbs and spices, nuts, seaweeds, mushrooms and more.
There’s detailed info about why these foods are good for us, how to maximise
their benefits and tips on how to incorporate them easily into our daily meals.
Dotted through the book are titbits about the history and origins of what we
eat, health aspects- think food sensitivities and the importance of gut bacteria, a
list of kitchen and pantry basics, plus a few recipes and useful tips on smoothies,
sprouting, juicing, dehydrating, fermenting and healthy cooking.
And for those keen to grow their own superfoods, there is also gardening advice.
An excellent addition to your library, joining Jane’s Delicious A-Z of Vegetables,
A-Z of Herbs and Urban Gardening. R350, Sunbird.