"There is only one hommos in our opinion,” says Grace Abi-Najm Shea of the family-owned Lebanese Taverna Restaurants on the East Coast.
I would agree, after hearing friends rave about that hommos at a party in Los Angeles.
How did it get there? I made it, thanks to a cooking class at the Lebanese Taverna in Tysons Galleria in McLean, Virginia.
Garlicky, lemony and creamy, this garbanzo bean dip is as addictive as anything can be. No wonder it has become a signature dish for the chain, which has restaurants, cafes and markets in Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C.
At my class, chef Mohamad Abdallah revealed the tricks that make the dish work.
The most important is to use dried garbanzo beans. No cheating with canned beans. Just as important is to soak the beans overnight with baking soda and boil them the next day with additional baking soda.
This makes them cook so quickly you’ll be amazed. I’ve cooked other types of beans for as long as four hours, but these were done in 45 minutes.
After the beans cool, you puree them with tahini (sesame paste), garlic, salt, water and lemon juice. My aged blender was too frail for the job, so I had to scoop the mixture out and puree it little by little in a mini processor. Therefore, it's better to use either a full-sized processor or a heavy duty blender.
Barring my struggle with the blender, this hommos (often spelled hummus) was much easier to make than I expected. Served with wedges of pita bread, it goes fast.
LEBANESE TAVERNA HOMMOS
1 cup dried garbanzo beans
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 cup tahini (sesame paste)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
¾ cup water, about
¾ cup lemon juice, or to taste
Olive oil, paprika and parsley for garnish
Place the garbanzo beans in a bowl. Add 3 cups water and 1 teaspoon baking soda and let stand overnight.
The next day, drain the beans and rinse with cold water. Place them in a large saucepan and add 5 cups water and ½ teaspoon baking soda.
Bring to a full boil, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the beans are very tender, about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally, and skim off excess foam as the beans cook.
Let the beans cool to room temperature, then drain. Save out a few for garnish. Place the remainder in a food processor or heavy duty blender. Add the tahini, garlic and salt and process or blend, gradually adding the water and lemon juice. Adjust the amount of lemon juice to taste, as some lemons are more acidic than others.
The final texture should be soft and creamy but not runny. If too thick, thin with a little additional water.
Turn the hommos into a shallow serving bowl. Place a generous spoonful of olive oil in the center. Decorate with the reserved beans, paprika and parlsey leaves.
Makes 1 quart, enough for 10 to 12 servings.
Lebanese Taverna Restaurant, Tysons Galleria, 1840-G International Drive, McClean, VA 22102. Tel: (703) 847-5244.
For additional information and other locations, go to www.lebanesetaverna.com.
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