Hummole (Avocado Hummus)
I like the idea of hummus. Ever since my college years, when hummus had its moment in the spotlight, I’ve always wanted to like it. I want to be like all the cool, healthy kids who eat hummus with carrot sticks and are just living their best life. There was always one thing standing in my way though…I don’t like hummus. Now, to be fair its not all hummus that I dislike, and my distaste for isn’t so great that I won’t eat it. However, it was never my first choice of snack food. For me it has never been about the flavor, as there are many very delicious brands and recipes out there for the stuff. No, for me it was always the texture. Ever since I can remember I’ve had a textural issue with chickpeas. I have balked at chefs and cooks who have claimed that they have a “creamy” texture. They don’t. When I eat one, it feels like a pod of sand explodes in my mouth. Gross!
As I’ve mentioned, though, I’ve always like the idea of hummus, and so I’ve always been game to try new recipes for it. Each time was an attempt in vain until I tried Graham Elliot’s recipe for avocado hummus. This opened up a whole new world to me. This hummus was different. It still had chickpeas, but instead of feeling like I was eating a beach after high tide, this hummus was creamy and wonderfully textured. It tasted like guacamole but had all those good fats that hummus is supposed to give you. I was hooked, and this recipe is my tweek of Graham’s original.
The recipe starts off with all those classic hummus ingredients. You blend together the chickpeas, tahini, garlic and olive oil along with an extra ingredient not found in every hummus recipe, jalapeno. It’s important to give these tougher ingredients a head start in the food processor. Because they are firmer in texture than the avocados, they need to get going a little sooner to make sure they’ll reach creamy perfection by the time you’re all done with this recipe.
Once those tough ingredients form a paste-like consistency, it’s time for the star of our program, the all-mighty avocado. I always pit and peel my avocados by running my knife along the edge of the avocado all the way to the pit. I then twist the halves apart and use my knight to plunk out the seed (yes, I said plunk). Now to do this you need to hold an avocado in your had and plunge your knife towards the pit. This is dangerous! Therefore, if you consider yourself to be maybe not the most coordinated of people, then choose a different method. If others consider you to be not the most coordinated of people, then choose a different method. Better to get a little messy by grabbing the seed out with your hand than to lose that hand to your knife.
After blending the avocados in, it’s time to add the spices. There are three star spices here. One is cumin, a spice that will give your hummus a nice warm flavor that you often find in chilies and other tex-mex dishes. Two is onion powder, this was one of my additions beyond Chef Elliot’s original recipe. I think it gives an added guacamole flavor as most good guacs tend to include a little onion. Three is sumac, this adds a little bit of a lemony kick to the hummus. Therefore, if you are having trouble finding ground sumac in your grocery store, you can add a little lemon zest instead. The last thing that is added that gives this hummus its ultimate flavor is lime juice. I am quite generous with the lime when I’m making this, using the juice of at least 3 limes. I love the sourness it brings to the hummus and it helps it stay a nice green color rather than turning brown so fast.
After your hummus is done, it’s ready to serve with chips or, my favorite way, on pita bread. I like to sprinkle a little crushed red pepper over the top both because it looks cool and because it gives a nice spicy kick to the finish. A word about storage, if you’re going to be storing this for later for any reason, you’ll want to press plastic wrap directly to the surface of the hummus in whatever container you’re storing it in. It will still start to discolor after a bit, but it will be slow and just on the surface. You can easily use this method to make it for a party the night before and then give it a quick stir before serving.
I truly hope you’ll enjoy this recipe and discover that hummus can, in fact, be fantastic if you’re using the right recipe. Remember that you don’t have to be a professional chef to make magic in your kitchen!
Joe the Blue Wizard
Hummole (Avocado Hummus)
Ingredients
- 1, 15 oz. (425 g) can Chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 2 cloves Garlic (skin removed and smashed)
- 2 tbsp. (30 mL) Tahini
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Jalapeno (de-seeded and roughly chopped)
- 3 Avocados (pitted and peeled)
- The Juice of 3 Limes
- 1 tsp. (6 g) Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp. (1.5 g) Sumac
- 1/2 tsp. (1.5 g) Pepper
- 1 tsp. (2.5 g) Onion Powder
- 1/4 tsp. (1 g) Cumin
- Crushed Red Pepper (for garnish)
Instructions
- Place chickpeas, garlic, tahini, olive oil and jalapeno into the bowl of a food processor. Process until a thick paste forms.
- Add in avocados and process until smooth.
- Add in lime juice and spices and process until well combined.
- Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Remove blade and then transfer hummole to a bowl.
- Garnish with red pepper flakes.
- Enjoy on tortilla chips, spread on pita bread, or however else you'd like.
