BEETROOT HUMMUS
Serves: 8
 
INGREDIENTS
  • 125g dry chickpeas (or 300g boiled chickpeas)
  • ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 medium sized beetroot
  • ⅔ cup tahini
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Salt, to taste
  • To serve: extra virgin olive oil, toasted sesame seeds, chopped parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Thoroughly rinse the chickpeas and cover them in cool filtered water at least twice their volume. Soak overnight or for at least 8 hours. Drain and discard the water.
  2. Place the chickpeas in a medium saucepan with half a teaspoon bicarbonate of soda and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add 1 litre of water to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook for around 25 minutes, skimming the skins that float up to the top. When cooked, the chickpeas should be soft and will break apart easily with your fingers. Drain.
  3. Meanwhile, wrap the whole beetroot in foil and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, or until tender. Let the beetroot cool down, peel and chop into chunks.
  4. Transfer the boiled chickpeas, along with the beetroot, tahini, garlic, lemon juice and salt to a blender. Blend until it forms a thick paste, adding ¼ cup iced water to make blending easier. The hummus should be creamy — you might need to add more water depending on the consistency you desire.
  5. Taste and adjust seasoning as required. Serve with a generous splash of olive oil, toasted sesame seeds and fresh parsley.
*Note:
Good quality tahini is available quite easily at most world food stores in India and online. If you can’t get your hands on store bought tahini, blend toasted white sesame seeds with olive oil to make your own.
Recipe by Sprig & Vine at http://sprigandvine.in/beetroot-hummus/