Hummus with lambfeatured
Hummus as its meant to be. Smooth, creamy, warm, tahina-y, lemony, actually made of chickpeas. Topped with spiced lamb and it’s drippings and scooped up with warm pita: heaven.
Making hummus at home is so inexpensive and it’s leaps and bounds better than anything you’ll get at the grocery store. While store-bought hummus tends to be thick and pastey, but hummus is meant to be smoother and silkier, eaten at room temperature or warm with hot pita.
This recipe makes a large batch of hummus. After having some with lamb for dinner, there’s still lots of hummus left to snack all week long. The first time I added lamb to hummus I used the amazing hummus bil kawarma recipe in the must-have Jerusalem cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. Their version also add an incredible lemon garlic dressing on top. But honestly, this simplified version is almost more deliciousness than I can handle as is.
To make great hummus, always start with dry chickpeas. After soaking overnight and boiling until soft, pop ’em into the food processor with tahina, lemon juice, garlic and spices. Blitz ingredients and use reserved hummus water to thin your hummus until its light and smooth. I use these excellent chickpeas by Palouse brand and a really delicious and smooth Lebanese tahina by Al-Kanater brand that really helps achieve a silky texture, both available on Amazon (affiliate links).
Now, the hummus is fantastic as is. If you want to stop here, just drizzle on olive oil and dust with spices of choice. You can also add some freshness and crunch by topping with some this salata balady.
But, if you want to go all the way with this, and I highly recommend that you do, simply marinating some lamb in warm spices and searing it will take your hummus to new heights, and now, you’ve got hummus for dinner.
The way the lamb fat and warm spices blend with the hummus is really kind of life-altering.
Scoop it up with the best pita you can find.
Bel hana wel shefa! Enjoy!
Hummus with lamb
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
For the hummus
- 3 cups dry chickpeas
- 1 tbsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup tahina
- 3 lemons juice
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 small green chili pepper optional
- 1 tbsp cumin or to taste
- 1 tbsp kosher salt or to taste
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
For the lamb
- leg of lamb steak or other quick-cooking cut
- allspice
- cinnamon
- cardamom
- Aleppo pepper
- olive oil
- black and white pepper
- splash white vinegar or other vinegar you have on hand
Instructions
For the hummus
- Wash chickpeas and soak in lots of water overnight.
- Bring to a boil in a pot with baking soda, simmer over medium heat until softened, about an hour. The baking soda helps soften the skins for smoother hummus. Skim off foam as needed and skins was needed.
- Set aside a cup of the water you boiled hummus in. Once the water in the pot cools, I like to agitate it so the skins rise to the top of the water then I skim off the skins and repeat. The more skins you remove the smoother your hummus will be but this step isn't totally necessary. Drain off remaining water.
- While chickpeas are still warm, blend in food processor with the remaining ingredients until smooth. It should be loose and silky, not pastey. If you need to loosen the hummus add the chickpea water a tablespoon at a time until you get your desired consistency.
For the lamb
- Cut lamb into small cubes and toss in spices. Let marinate half an hour.
- Fry over high heat in an oil with high smoke point or ghee, until you get a nice sear.
- In individual bowls, add hummus and make a well in the middle. Add lamb in the well, making sure to pour on lamb drippings.
- Top with toasted nuts and parsley and serve with warm pita as a simple meal or mezze.
