Peas, Love, and Hummus

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by Hannah (BitterSweet)
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Hummus has been a historically divisive food, causing rifts between nations that have occasionally escalated into all-out wars. I’m not here to start a fight about who made it first or best, though. Today, I’d like to shine a light on how it can be just as powerfully unifying in the right hands. Pardon the pun, but it’s true; everyone just needs to give peas a chance.

Years ago when my dad took up residence overseas for his job, I thought for sure that this was the beginning of the end. What family could withstand such severe, prolonged separation? This was before the age of COVID quarantines of course, but still, it was hard to imagine how any relationship could survive the prolonged distance.

Before we had Zoom, we had Skype. Like clockwork, every weekend, I somehow convinced my omnivorous father to cook with me, creating a recipe simultaneously yet separately. I would make mine for lunch in Connecticut, while he would enjoy his for dinner in Germany. There were a few memorable gems that he still makes today, which is truly a feat for a man of few favorite foods and little interest in cooking. If I had to pick one single greatest hit, it would have to be hummus.

Both of us ate hummus by the gallon at the time, yet he had never so much as considered going straight to the source and starting from scratch. Now, years later, both of us are so thoroughly spoiled by homemade hummus that it’s become impossible to go back to store-bought. Just like that, one simple recipe brought us back together, in our isolated kitchens divided by thousands of miles and a number of time zones.

Recreating this basic bean dip together for the first time as an early Father’s Day celebration was probably more of a treat for me than him. Seeing how he took that essential formula and made it his own was even more gratifying than the rich, savory, and creamy taste.

Adding vegan chicken bouillon for an additional depth of flavor and all the salt it needs, he adds volumes of flavor with this concentrated umami bomb. From there, he adds a splash of liquid smoke to give the creamy mixture an uncanny baba ganoush character, without fussing with any roasted eggplant. A bare hint of spice creeps in on the back end, providing a subtle warmth that lingers after every bite. It’s a brilliant, harmonious combination that’s both simple on paper, yet stunningly complex on the palate.

To all the fathers and people who love them, Happy Father’s Day. I hope you’re all so lucky to have someone to make hummus with, virtually or in-person.

Yield: Makes 2 Dad-Sized Servings

Dad's Umami Bomb Hummus

Dad's Umami Bomb Hummus

Adding vegan chicken bouillion for an additional depth of flavor and all the salt it needs, he adds volumes of flavor with this concentrated umami bomb. From there, he adds a splash of liquid smoke to give the creamy mixture an uncanny baba ganoush character, without fussing with any roasted eggplant. A bare hint of spice creeps in on the back end, providing a subtle warmth that lingers after every bite. It's a brilliant, harmonious combination that's both simple on paper, yet stunningly complex on the palate.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 (14-Ounce) Can Chickpeas, Drained, Aquafaba Reserved
  • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
  • 1 Tablespoon Tahini
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 Teaspoon Vegan Chicken Bouillon or Broth Concentrate
  • 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 3/4 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Liquid Smoke
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Sriracha (Optional)

Instructions

  1. Place the drained chickpeas in the bowl of your food processor along with the lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, and vegan chicken bouillon concentrate. Pulse briefly to combine.
  2. Pause to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the garlic powder, cumin, pepper, salt, liquid smoke, and sriracha, if using. Pour in 1/4 cup of the reserve aquafaba and thoroughly puree. Slowly stream in additional aquafaba until the mixture reaches your desired consistency.
  3. Blend for 2 - 3 minutes, until completely smooth, light, and creamy. Adjust liquid smoke and sriracha to taste, if needed. Serve warm for best flavor.

Notes

Prepared hummus will keep for 3 - 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 297Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 707mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 7gSugar: 6gProtein: 12g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: Mediterranean / Category: Dips, Dressings, Sauces, Spreads, and Condiments

15 thoughts on “Peas, Love, and Hummus”

  1. Aww. This is a really sweet post. The liquid smoke is definitely a surprise! You have probably already done this, but I actually prefer to use white beans over garbanzos. They’re creamier, and don’t ever have that mealy texture. Plus, I don’t always make hummus, which is one recipe. I love to add this and that and create multitudes of recipes. Add paprika creme, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, rosemary, spices like cumin, coriander and cayenne, and so forth. So many recipes.

    1. There are so many gems of wisdom right in this comment! I do enjoy a good white bean hummus, though it tends to be a bit softer than chickpeas; great for dipping, but not so much spreading on sandwiches. There’s a time and a place for all hummus in my world, though! Especially smart to make a big batch in bulk and then flavor it differently so it never gets boring. I’m DEFINITELY doing that next time! You had me with pesto.

  2. What a wonderful story, Hannah! The comment before mine and your response have given me some ideas and my husband would definitely opt for the addition of Sriracha, as he’s a hot sauce guy. The idea of trying the white beans is interesting also because I love white beans. Happy Friday!

  3. I thought that guy looked familiar, then immediately recognized your kitchen! Love this story, how cool that you shared cooking time with him while he was away. He sounds like a wonderful dad!

  4. What a sweet post, and so lovely that you cooked simultaneously with your Dad, when you were living in different countries.
    I love hummus, but never buy the ones in the store,, but make myself or go to one of so many hummus joints here where I live.I will try next time to add some liquid smoke, thanks for the tip. And like Chef Mimi, I too love the white bean hummus:)

    1. Homemade (or restaurant made) is always SO much better! It’s truly a treat to get when dining out, since it really says a lot about a chef’s skill if they can make such humble ingredients shine.

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