Tahini (tashi)
Sesame, lemon and garlic
When eating out at a taverna most places will bring you starters, which are traditionally dips, salad, olives and bread. One of those tasty dips is hummus.
Traditionally hummus is known to be from the Middle East, however we in Greece and Cyprus have been making it forever. As we all know the food here in Cyprus is influenced by the countries around us, and this could be one of those influences too. No one can be sure of the origin of hummus, but we can all agree on just how delicious it is.
A very similar dip, actually originally from Greece, is fava. Like hummus it is easy to make and better tasting than any store-bought dip.
Cook your chickpeas until well cooked and you are able to mash or blend them. This may take up to 2 hours if they are not canned. If you are using dry chickpeas you will need to soak them overnight before cooking. If you overcook them, don’t worry — it will still turn out great, maybe even better if you like it creamier.
Peel the skins off the chickpeas before adding them to a blender. Purée the chickpeas with the minced garlic until smooth like a paste.
Then add the remaining ingredients — tahini, lemon juice, salt, olive oil and ice cubes — and blend for around 4–5 minutes.
Once it is all combined, transfer to serving bowls and garnish. The traditional garnish is a good drizzle of olive oil and parsley leaves.
Serve your homemade hummus with vegetables, bread, or as a starter before your meal.
Sesame, lemon and garlic
Tangy garlic cucumber dip
Stuffed vine leaves