How Alon Shaya Avoids Grainy Hummus With One Simple Tip - Exclusive
Making hummus at home is a great way to take back control of what ingredients you're putting into your body. But, as much as we hate to admit it, sometimes our homemade hummus comes out with an unpleasant grainy texture. While at the Nassau Paradise Island Wine and Food Fest, Tasting Table had a chance to sit down with celebrity chef Alon Shaya after his Master Class where he shared the secret to making creamy hummus every time.
During his Master Class, Shaya talked a lot about hummus. When we asked if he had any other tips, he said, "I think the peeled garbanzo beans are the big thing." Peeling garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas) can be a big pain, but with one simple trick, you'll never need to peel garbanzo beans again. The trick is to soak the garbanzo beans in water and baking soda to soften the skins, which will then dissolve when they are cooked, saving you the chore of massaging dozens of chickpeas for hours. The important part is that you aren't putting the garbanzo beans into the food processor with the skins intact since that's what causes the unpleasant texture.
Instead of skinning the garbanzo beans by hand or soaking them in baking soda, Shaya prefers buying pre-skinned and dried garbanzo beans commonly used for Indian cuisine since that cuts out both extra steps. It's much easier, and cooking at home is all about cutting out unnecessary steps.
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Never Go Grainy Again
If you're looking to take your hummus game further, there are other tips and tricks you can follow to get even creamier or more flavorful results. For example, club soda is a surprise ingredient that makes perfectly whipped hummus. Because hummus has so few ingredients, it can be difficult to find ways to spruce it up, but you'll be glad you took the time when it's through. Simply add a splash of club soda to the blender or food processor and that's it: whipped hummus, here we come.
A simple creamy hummus recipe can be made as complex as you like. Hummus often uses lemon juice to add a citrus zest, but you can soak bits of garlic in the lemon juice to add some zing. There are plenty of ways to mix up the classic recipe — from adding creamy beets to tossing in herbs and spices like cilantro or turmeric. No matter how you make it, removing the skins from your garbanzo beans will ensure that every new experiment has the velvety smooth mouthfeel you can't live without.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.
