Creamy Jordanian Hummus

  • Total time - 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Active preparation - 15 minutes
  • Chickpea cooking time - 45–60 minutes
  • Chickpea soaking time - 12–24 hours (essential)
  • Servings: 4
  • Country: Jordan
Creamy hummus in a shallow bowl, swirled in the center, generously drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkled with paprika and whole chickpeas.

For a truly creamy texture, it is essential to start with dried chickpeas and cook them until they are extremely soft, almost falling apart. Using baking soda during cooking accelerates this process and helps detach the skins.

Traditionally, olive oil is not used IN the dip itself. It is only generously drizzled on top for garnish and flavor.

Ingredients

Hummus

  • 200 g Dried chickpeas, soaked 12–24 hours
  • 1 tsp Baking soda (for cooking chickpeas)
  • 0.5 cups Quality Tahini paste (sesame paste)
  • 0.33 cups Fresh lemon juice
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 0.25 cups Ice-cold water or 2–3 ice cubes
  • 1 tsp Salt

For Serving

  • for drizzling Extra virgin olive oil
  • for sprinkling Sweet paprika or Sumac
  • for garnish Whole cooked chickpeas and fresh parsley

Instructions

Step 1: Cooking the Chickpeas (Key to Creaminess)

Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas. Place them in a pot, cover with fresh water (about 2 inches above the chickpeas), and add the baking soda. Bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 45–60 minutes until the chickpeas fall apart when pressed between your fingers. Skim off any foam from the surface during cooking.

Drain the chickpeas, but reserve about half a cup of the hot cooking water for potential thinning later. For the creamiest hummus, you can gently rub the chickpeas under water to remove the skins.

Step 2: Tahini Emulsion

In a small bowl, mix the tahini paste, lemon juice, minced garlic, and salt. Stir vigorously with a spoon. The mixture will first lighten in color and thicken into a dense paste – this is expected.

The addition of lemon juice emulsifies and stiffens the tahini; this ensures a pronounced tahini flavor without bitterness.

Step 3: Blending for Creamy Texture

Place the hot, drained chickpeas and the tahini mixture into a food processor. Blend on high speed for 2–3 minutes. Stop and scrape the mixture from the sides.

With the processor running, slowly add the very cold/ice water (or ice cubes) through the opening in the lid. The cold water 'aerates' the mixture and makes it creamy and light. Blend for another 2 minutes. The hummus should be smooth and fluffy.

Taste and add more salt or lemon juice as needed. If it is too thick, add a little more of the reserved hot chickpea water.

Step 4: Serving

Transfer the hummus to a shallow bowl. Use a spoon to create a swirl on the surface (to form a well for the oil).

Generously drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Garnish with whole cooked chickpeas, a sprinkle of sweet paprika, cumin, or sumac, and fresh parsley.

Serve immediately with warm Arabic bread khubz or pita bread.