Sriracha Hummus Garbanzo Beans
By Heidi Allison
If you love Hummus, then making it from scratch is well worth the effort! Just as the foundation of any great soup lies in its stock, a fabulous Hummus requires great beans. While many shy away from cooking garbanzo beans from scratch because these legumes have developed a “bad rep” for being “the most difficult of all beans to cook", this simply isn't true—if you know the tricks! Freshly-prepared Garbanzo Beans have a much better texture and flavor compared to the slimy, rather bland canned variety—once you taste freshly-made garbanzo beans, you’ll never go back. Preparing this dish yourself is also economical—a store-bought Hummus runs anywhere from $4.00-$6.00 for a small, 8-ounce container!
Although it’s rumored you must to buy your beans in a store with a rapid turn-over rate since dried, shriveled garbanzo beans will never get soft that simply isn’t true. The problem lies more in not prepping these legumes correctly: you need to soak the beans in cold water for at least 24 hours (some Middle-Eastern cooks recommend a 2-3 day soak time, or, until the garbanzo beans begin to sprout), and change the water at least twice; I do it four times. This step keeps the bacteria at bay. It’s crucial that you flavor the beans with onion, celery and a bay leaf while they are cooking. And, just like all beans, do not add salt during the cooking process—this will toughen the protein and make the beans tough! Add the salt to the cooking water AFTER you turn the heat off, and allow the beans to absorb the salt during their cooling down period—for at least one hour—which enhances the beans taste without adversely affecting their texture! And, make sure you cover the garbanzo beans with at least 5 inches of water during the soaking period, since they will double in size.
This dish is fusion food at its best: a healthy, vegan dip with a slightly nutty flavor and sweet heat— works equally well as a dip or bread spread. Although you can use fresh chopped garlic in this dish, I found it too bitter —even when the fresh garlic was minced. A much better flavor profile emerged in the finished dish using sweet, mild roasted garlic— a better complement flavor to the moderately hot and sweet Sriracha sauce!
Sriracha Hummus Garbanzo Beans
Ingredients
2 cups of Dried Garbanzo Beans
1 piece Organic Celery, cut into thirds
½ Onion, peeled
1 Bay Leaf
2 Tablespoon Kosher Flake Salt
Preparation
Place garbanzo beans into a pot and cover with water about 8 inches over beans. Let soak for 24 hours; changing the water 4 times.
Drain water and place soaked beans into a Mexican bean pot (clay pot with holes in top to release steam) or stainless steel pot, and cover with water by 5 inches. Add celery, onion, and bay leaf.
Cook on medium heat until boiling, then immediately reduce heat to a simmer, and cover. Heat for 1½ hours or until beans are soft but not mushy.
Turn off heat and add salt. Allow beans to cool in salted cooking liquid for at least 1 hour to absorb the salt.
Drain beans, remove bay leaf and onion, and put beans in ziplock storage bag, then place in refrigerator to cool. (Reserve bean cooking liquid for soups; good source of fiber).
Roasted Garlic
Ingredients
1 head of Garlic
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Flake Salt
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the top of the garlic and remove some of papery skin. Pour olive oil and sprinkle salt over garlic. Cook for 35 minutes, or, until the garlic is browned on cut end, and cloves are soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Sriracha Hummus
Makes 2½ cups
Ingredients
2¼ cups cooked Garbanzo Beans
¼ cup Water
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil Extra
1 Tablespoon Tahini Sesame Seed Paste
1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 Fresno Chile Pepper, chopped
3 cloves Roasted Garlic
2 teaspoon Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
¼ teaspoon Organic Garlic Powder
4½ Tablespoon Sriracha Chili Sauce
Preparation
Combine garbanzo beans, water, tahini, red pepper flakes, Fresno pepper, roasted garlic, apple cider vinegar, salt, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, and salt and garlic powder pulse to combine.
Add Sriracha sauce and pulse to combine.
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with pita bread.
Authors Notes
Will keep 5 days.
If you love Hummus, then making it from scratch is well worth the effort! Just as the foundation of any great soup lies in its stock, a fabulous Hummus requires great beans. While many shy away from cooking garbanzo beans from scratch because these legumes have developed a “bad rep” for being “the most difficult of all beans to cook", this simply isn't true—if you know the tricks! Freshly-prepared Garbanzo Beans have a much better texture and flavor compared to the slimy, rather bland canned variety—once you taste freshly-made garbanzo beans, you’ll never go back. Preparing this dish yourself is also economical—a store-bought Hummus runs anywhere from $4.00-$6.00 for a small, 8-ounce container!
Although it’s rumored you must to buy your beans in a store with a rapid turn-over rate since dried, shriveled garbanzo beans will never get soft that simply isn’t true. The problem lies more in not prepping these legumes correctly: you need to soak the beans in cold water for at least 24 hours (some Middle-Eastern cooks recommend a 2-3 day soak time, or, until the garbanzo beans begin to sprout), and change the water at least twice; I do it four times. This step keeps the bacteria at bay. It’s crucial that you flavor the beans with onion, celery and a bay leaf while they are cooking. And, just like all beans, do not add salt during the cooking process—this will toughen the protein and make the beans tough! Add the salt to the cooking water AFTER you turn the heat off, and allow the beans to absorb the salt during their cooling down period—for at least one hour—which enhances the beans taste without adversely affecting their texture! And, make sure you cover the garbanzo beans with at least 5 inches of water during the soaking period, since they will double in size.
This dish is fusion food at its best: a healthy, vegan dip with a slightly nutty flavor and sweet heat— works equally well as a dip or bread spread. Although you can use fresh chopped garlic in this dish, I found it too bitter —even when the fresh garlic was minced. A much better flavor profile emerged in the finished dish using sweet, mild roasted garlic— a better complement flavor to the moderately hot and sweet Sriracha sauce!
Sriracha Hummus Garbanzo Beans
Ingredients
2 cups of Dried Garbanzo Beans
1 piece Organic Celery, cut into thirds
½ Onion, peeled
1 Bay Leaf
2 Tablespoon Kosher Flake Salt
Preparation
Place garbanzo beans into a pot and cover with water about 8 inches over beans. Let soak for 24 hours; changing the water 4 times.
Drain water and place soaked beans into a Mexican bean pot (clay pot with holes in top to release steam) or stainless steel pot, and cover with water by 5 inches. Add celery, onion, and bay leaf.
Cook on medium heat until boiling, then immediately reduce heat to a simmer, and cover. Heat for 1½ hours or until beans are soft but not mushy.
Turn off heat and add salt. Allow beans to cool in salted cooking liquid for at least 1 hour to absorb the salt.
Drain beans, remove bay leaf and onion, and put beans in ziplock storage bag, then place in refrigerator to cool. (Reserve bean cooking liquid for soups; good source of fiber).
Roasted Garlic
Ingredients
1 head of Garlic
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Flake Salt
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the top of the garlic and remove some of papery skin. Pour olive oil and sprinkle salt over garlic. Cook for 35 minutes, or, until the garlic is browned on cut end, and cloves are soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Sriracha Hummus
Makes 2½ cups
Ingredients
2¼ cups cooked Garbanzo Beans
¼ cup Water
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil Extra
1 Tablespoon Tahini Sesame Seed Paste
1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 Fresno Chile Pepper, chopped
3 cloves Roasted Garlic
2 teaspoon Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
¼ teaspoon Organic Garlic Powder
4½ Tablespoon Sriracha Chili Sauce
Preparation
Combine garbanzo beans, water, tahini, red pepper flakes, Fresno pepper, roasted garlic, apple cider vinegar, salt, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, and salt and garlic powder pulse to combine.
Add Sriracha sauce and pulse to combine.
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with pita bread.
Authors Notes
Will keep 5 days.
