Is it because I couldn’t find the tahini? Anything I can sub? I used a little peanutbutter but still blah.
(On a related note, where the hell did I put the tahini?)
You can add:
chili powder (in great moderation)
garlic (raw & chopped very fine)
olive oil
paprika
parsley.
I’m sure others can suggest other possibilities. But tahini is not optional: it’s essential, like tomato paste is essential for pizzas.
Yeah, you have to find the tahini.
Yeah, I feel it’s not hummus if it ain’t got tahini. The main culprits for blandness are: not enough acid, not enough salt, not enough garlic. Even the type of olive oil you use and how much of it could effect your perception of blandness. A lot of times, a little bit more salt will perk things right up. But that tahini really goes a long way to add the right body and “meatiness” to the hummus.
(As an aside, tomato products are not necessary for a pizza. Some of my favorite pizzas are white pizzas.)
Cashew butter but I’m guessing you don’t have any.
Try cayenne pepper, chipotle pepper or even more black pepper. And I make it without tahini all the time; I like it lighter. Often I use jarred roasted red peppers. It gives it a beautiful color and flavor.
Figures. I know I have an almost-full jar here somewhere, and I distinctly remember saying to myself, “self, remember yoy put the tahini riiiiight…there!”
Smoked Paprika adds some zing to hummus.
And lemon juice.
Lots and lots of freshly sqeezed lemon juice
Cumin
More garlic!
Tom Scud swears by a bit of mint (fresh or dried), and everyone loves his hummus.
I’ve made hummus with PB as a sub for tahini. It got snarfed right down!
Check the refrigerator door for your tahini. If it’s been opened, it’s a good idea to refrigerate it.
Diced chiles or dried crushed red pepper flakes would give a nice zing. Really, hummus is just a transport device for flavorful ingredients. And you can use almost anything to dip into the hummus: chips, crackers, raw veggies…I’ve even seen folks using rice cakes. Probably the best thing in the world to ever happen to a rice cake!
If you can locate a Middle Eastern or Indian/Pakistani market, look for garbanzo flour. That stuff makes the easiest, fastest, creamiest hummus in the world! Boil one cup of water in a pan on the stove. As soon as the water boils, whisk in 1/4 cup garbanzo flour, turn down the heat to a simmer, and cook for a few minutes until the mixture thickens. That’s IT. Add your tahini, salt, pepper, garlic and whatever else floats your boat. Scoop into the serving dish and drizzle olive oil on top. While everyone else is inhaling the hummus, YOU get to lick the pan!
~VOW
Drain a jar of marinated artichoke hearts, blenderize into a puree, add to hummus. Dip and enjoy.
Damn!
~VOW
Peel one full bulb of garlic. Wrap in foil with a tablespoon of olive oil, and roast in a toaster oven at 350 for 45 minutes. Cool and add to your hummus before processing.
My recipe:
one 29oz. can chick peas, drained
one half cup olive oil
one third cup lemon juice
one teaspoon kosher salt
one half teaspoon ground black pepper
one bulb roasted garlic
I don’t use any tahini. Sometimes I add roasted red peppers.
One thing I’ve noticed, Living in the Detroit area. After having lots of fancy, special Versions of Hummus, the Basic “Mom’s version” of it you get Lebanese restaurants always tastes a it bland. One more area where tradition can be screwed in my opinion.
“The bird flies at midnight.”
[passes secret papers to papergirl]
I like hummus with sesame oil (replacing part of the olive oil) rather than tahini. Gives it that sesame nuttiness without that kind of bitter tang that tahini always seems to me to have.
Gotta have tahini. Nut butters won’t substitute, because it needs that strong taste of sesame. If you don’t have tahini, try a few drops of sesame oil.
I’m a bit of a purist: garbanzo beans and a little of their brine, tahini, cumin, lemon juice. That’s all I ever use (raw garlic doesn’t agree with me).
ETA: I finish it with a drizzle of olive oil but NOT EVOO. Too overpowering a taste.