Roasted red pepper hummus which is very delicious and has a very smoky flavour, as we like sweet and spicy and this roasted sweet red pepper is for the hummus. Hummus is a creamy puree of chickpeas and tahini (sesame seed paste) seasoned with lemon juice and garlic, and is a popular dip and spread in Middle East. It is popular throughout the Middle East, Turkey, North Africa, Morocco, and in Middle Eastern cuisine around the globe. Hummus can be served as part of a meze platter; with bread for dipping; as spread or filling for pita bread; or in sandwiches. It is served as a snack or starter or appetizer or an accompaniment to falafel. In each place hummus is garnished differently like whole chickpeas, paprika, sumac, olives, pine nuts, parsley, coriander and more.
With the basic recipe of hummus you can make variations like red pepper hummus, sun dried hummus, pumpkin hummus, chipotle (chillies) hummus, coriander or parsley hummus. In this recipe, aim sharing red pepper hummus recipe. In London, it is sometimes served with tortilla chips or crackers and served with olive oil, garnished with whole chick pea and paprika on it or just a drizzle of paprika oil (like chilli oil). In London, Nandoos is my favourite restaurant and here we get hummus with pitta bread and to drizzle on or garnish we get chilli oil, which is reddish in colour, which I love the most to eat with hummus. So I have adopted this idea in my recipe. In super markets also we get but it is so easy you can make at home and refrigerate or freeze it. I have prepared hummus the way I like, even you can adjust with the ingredients the way you like it.
Ingredients
Chilli oil
- Paprika or chilli powder – 1/2 to 1 tsp
- Olive oil – 1/3 cup or less
Red pepper hummus
- Red pepper – 1 (200 gms)
- Garlic - 2
- Chick peas (boiled or tinned) – 1 cup
- Cumin seeds (roasted) – 3/4 or 1 tsp
- Tahini paste – 1/2 cup or less
- Coriander leaves (roughly chopped) – 1/3 cup
- Salt - as required
- Chilli powder or paprika (optional) – a pinch
- Lemon juice (optional) – 2 tbsp or more
- Olive oil – 2 tbsp
- Water – 1/2 cup
Garnishing
- Chilli oil – 1 tbsp
- Chick peas (boiled or tinned) – 2 tbsp
Method
Chilli oil
- Heat the olive oil in a small vessel, when it is moderately warm add the paprika or chilli powder, it will sizzle lightly but it should not burn and become dark. You can allow it to cool or drizzle, chilli oil when it is warm.
Roasted red pepper hummus
- You can take parboiled tinned chick pea or you can boil the chickpeas by soaking overnight and boiling them in a pressure cooker.
- Preheat the grill or oven to its hottest setting and line a grill pan or baking tray with foil.
- Grill or roast the red pepper and garlic in an oven or on the gas hob or grill pan for 10-15 minutes or until the skins are black all over. Remove the garlic soon as it need less time to grill otherwise it will become bitter taste, if burnt or grilled more. With a pair of tongs, transfer the hot peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with cling film or just put in sealing plastic bag (freezer or food bag) or just allow it to cool. The steam will help finish cooking the red pepper and loosen their skins. Leave to cool for 10 minutes or so.
- When the red pepper is cool enough to handle, peel off their skins. There may be some little burnt pepper skin left on, but all this adds to the flavour.
- Combine the chickpeas, red pepper, coriander leaves, garlic, cumin, salt, tahini, and water in a food processor, and blend to a creamy purée.
- Blend until the mixture is smooth, you may need to add a couple of spoonful of water to thin the hummus to a lighter consistency.
- Serve into a serving bowl or dinner plate, and make smooth with the back of a spoon. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil or olive oil and scatter with the reserved chickpeas or with chilli oil or Sprinkle with paprika or chilli powder and drizzle some chilli oil around the hummus and serve with pita bread (cut into strips).
- You can Spoon the dip into a serving dish and serve as a dip for carrot sticks, cucumber, pitta bread, tortilla chips or hot flatbreads. Store it in the fridge.
Notes
- In the above hummus I have not added lemon juice, but it is added, without adding hummus it tasted delicious.
- You can add roasted cumin powder or smoked paprika also for the taste. Add the cumin and a generous pinch of salt, then gradually tip in enough cooking water to give a soft paste – it should just hold its shape, but not be claggy. Taste and add more lemon juice, garlic or salt according to taste.
- If adding lemon juice taste and add more lemon juice as per taste. Sprinkle with paprika or chilli powder and drizzle some chilli oil around the hummus and serve with pita bread (cut into strips).
