This recipe was shared by Charlotte Is Creative’s project manager, Melissa Dorsch.

National Hummus Day is May 13. What better way to celebrate than with a nice creamy bowl of chickpea heaven?  This recipe comes from a friend’s mother-in-law named Amal Swade.  We eat a lot of hummus in this house and, while it’s great to buy or order from your favorite restaurant, Amal’s recipe it’s super easy to make. It just takes a few ingredients and a little time to whip up a bowl of hummus.  And you get the satisfaction of making something delicious yourself!

Ingredients:

• 2 Pounds of Dried Chickpeas
• 1 Cup of Water (cooled)
• 1 Clove of Peeled Garlic
• 1/2 Cup fo Tahini Paste
• 1 TSP of Salt
• 1/2 Cup Lemon Juice
• Olive Oil
• Red Paprika

Instructions:

• Soak dried chickpeas overnight OR for 6 hours
• Drain the water and wash chickpeas with cold water
• Add the chickpeas and ten cups of water to a pot and bring to a boil
• Remove any white foam that floats on top and then add one teaspoon of baking soda
• Reduce heat to “low” and let cook for an hour or until chickpeas are very tender — tender chickpeas make for smooth hummus
• Watch the water level while cooking and make sure the chickpeas are covered at least 5 inches above — add hot water as needed
• Drain water into a dish and let chickpeas cool
• Add only the chickpeas to the blender and add 1 cup of the water — this is the water that was set aside and has now cooled (has to be room temperature not hot)
• Add one clove of peeled garlic
• Mix until smooth
• Add a half-cup tahini 
• Add one teaspoon salt or add more to your taste
• Add a half cup lemon juice 
• Blend it all together 
• Serve hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash and of red paprika