Merceile's Turkish-style hummus

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 can chickpeas, 400 g, drained weight 250 g
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed with a little salt in a mortar
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 3 tsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 4 tsp sesame paste (tahini), good quality
• 1 tsp, leveled salt
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp sweet paprika powder
• 1 tsp paprika powder, hot

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 10 minutes

Hummus preparation as I learned it from Turkish friends in Istanbul

Drain the chickpeas (or use the equivalent amount of home-cooked chickpeas), reserving some for garnish if desired. Retain the draining water and puree all the remaining ingredients with a hand blender. If the puree is too thick, add a little of the reserved chickpea water to achieve a consistency similar to mashed potatoes. Note: We all love the nutty flavor of good tahini, so this amount is based on our taste. Just like with the other spices, you can experiment and adjust the seasoning accordingly, rather than removing any excess. Tips: If you want to use dried chickpeas and cook them yourself, it’s best to soak them overnight and cook them in plenty of salt-free water for about 45 minutes until tender. This should also be taken into account when determining the amount of salt for the hummus, as canned chickpeas are usually already salted. Cooked chickpeas are great for freezing and then later using to make new hummus or delicious stews.