Hummus (Chick pea dip with sesame paste)

Just after our betrothal, my husband got posted to Beirut, Lebanon.So, our first home after marriage was the mediterranean country. The native population speak arabic and french, very few knew English. Born with a very dominant social streak, I cannot survive without friends...but the language was a barrier, initially!
We lived in a serviced apartment which sent in a native lady to clean the place. Within days, we became friends..if that was ever possible between two people with a wide age difference, different backgrounds, and who virtually did not understand a single word the other one spoke! She introduced me to mediterranean cuisine... Where she couldnt explain the ingredients to me...she wrote down the names of items I should buy at the supermarket in Arabic. I just took it to the nearby mart and got the sales assistants to read the slip and get me stuff. At home , my friend demonstarated hummus, falafel, and a few other very yummy recipes

White chickpeas (kabuli channa/vella kadala) - 1 cup

Tahina (sesame paste) - 1/2 cup

Lemon juice - of 2 medium sized juicy ones

Garlic - 2 cloves

Olive oil - 10 ml

Salt to taste

Soak chickpeas overnight, drain and pressure cook.Mash the chickpeas (use a ladle, or a electric processor) Crush the garlic cloves. In a deep bowl place the chickpea mash, add the rest of the ingredients and mix till smooth.
Serve up with a drizzle of olive oil, a dash of paprika and a few whole chickpeas.
Tastes lovely with Khubuz (arabic bread), chappathis, tortillas, nachos, grilled chicken, or just plain old carrot sticks :-)
If you don't get readymade tahina in your neighbourhood,make your own at home:

White sesame seeds - 1/2 cup
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
Salt - to taste

Dry roast the sesame seeds till it turns an even light brown and wafts an aroma. Powder in a small mixer bowl. Once fine, add in the olive oil and whisk the mixer again. In case the mix is dry add a little more olive oil. The final consistency should be like that of a smooth peanut butter.

If you liked this recipe, you might also like Falafel. http://thefootloosechef.blogspot.com/2008/07/falafel-with-garlic-labenah-dip-and.html.

This is my entry to the DIPS event on at Archana's kitchen. The event is on till 30th September at http://www.archanaskitchen.com/2008/events/dips-a-collection/

As promised in my earlier post, am passing on the Good Job award, that EC gave me, to to four more fellow foodies, apart from the earlier two, whom I genuinely feel are doing a great job. So, here's to Yasmeen of yasmeen-healthnut, Srimathi of fewminutewonders, Purva of purvasdaawat, and Sangeeth of letusallcook