Hummus
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For the biological matter in soil, see Humus; for the band, see Humus (band).

Hummus with olive oil, lemon juice, cumin and sumac

Hummus (also spelled hamos, houmous, hommos, hommus, hummos, hummous or humus; see romanization of Arabic) is a dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas, blended with tahini, lemon juice, salt and garlic. Hummus is a popular food in various local forms throughout the Middle Eastern world.^[1]

Etymology

The word comes from Arabic حمٌص ḥummuṣ^[2] 'chickpeas'. Like other Arabic loanwords, its spelling in English is unstable.^[2] The earliest known use of the word hummus in English noted by the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) was in 1955.^[3] The three most common spellings for the word as transliterated into English are hummus, hommos and hoummos. The spelling humus is avoided in English due to its similarity to the English word humus, though this is the most common Turkish spelling^[2] and the OED indicates the word entered the English language from Turkish.^[3] The full Arabic name of the prepared spread is حُمُّص بطحينة (hummus bi tahina) which means chickpeas with tahini.

History

Hummus with pine nuts

Many cuisine-related sources describe Hummus as one of the oldest known prepared foods.^[4][5][6] Hummus has a long history in the Middle East which reportedly stretches back to antiquity but its historical origins are unknown.^[7][8] A speculative, reconstructed ancient Egyptian recipe calls for wine vinegar instead of lemon juice, which did not arrive in the Middle East until about the 8th century CE.^[9] Hummus has been noted as a food in 18th-century Damascus (although the same source claims it was unknown elsewhere).^[10]

Hummus' main ingredient, the chickpea, was one of the earliest crops cultivated in Mesopotamia. Some researchers say the nutritional benefits of chickpeas may have contributed to the early rise of civilization there.^[11]

Nutritional information

Hummus is high in iron and vitamin C. The chickpeas make it a good source of protein and dietary fiber. Depending on the recipe hummus carries varying amounts of monounsaturated fat.^[12] Hummus is useful in vegetarian and vegan diets and like other combinations of grains and pulses, when eaten with bread it provides essential amino acids. In the United States, the government is trying to introduce healthier food in school cafeterias to slow obesity rates. Along with whole-grain pizzas and baked chicken nuggets, the new offerings include hummus. ^[13]

Serving methods

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Hummus garnished with whole chickpeas on a Yemeni serving dish

As an appetizer and dip hummus is scooped with flatbread (such as pita). Hummus is also served as part of a meze or as an accompaniment to falafel, grilled chicken, fish or eggplant. Garnishes include chopped tomato, cucumber, cilantro, parsley, sautéed mushrooms, whole chickpeas, olive oil, hard-boiled eggs, paprika, ful, olives and pickles. Outside the Middle East it is sometimes served with tortilla chips or crackers.

Hummus Ful (pronounced /fuːl/) is topped with a paste made from fava beans boiled until soft and then crushed. Hummus Masubha/Mashawsha is a mixture of hummus paste, warm chickpeas and tahini.

Lebanon

Lebanese style hummus topped with whole chickpeas and olive oil.

In Lebanon hummus is a traditional, widely consumed and very popular dish. Hummus in Lebanon may be garnished with colorful vegetables along with parsley and sumac. Pickled turnips along with pickled cucumbers and hot green peppers may be served on the side with a traditional garnish of sour pomegranate seeds. In Lebanon hummus is also served with whole chickpeas and olive oil on top. Hummus Awarma is topped with minced meat, onions and pine nuts. Many Lebanese restaurants have introduced and made hummus a very popular dish to various cities around the world.

Palestine

In Palestine hummus has long been a staple food, garnished with olive oil and mint leaves, paprika, parsley, or cumin.^[14] A related dish popular in both Jordan and Palestine is Laban ma' hummus ("Yogurt and chickpeas") which uses yogurt in the place of tahini and butter in the place of olive oil. The chickpeas are first boiled alone before the other ingredients are added, and it is served hot.^[15]

Syria

In Vegetarian Dishes from the Middle East Arto der Hartoiunian calls hummus "one of the most popular and best-known of all Syrian dishes" and "a must on any mezzeh table."^[16] Syrians in Canada's Arab diaspora prepare and consume hummus along with other dishes like falafel, kibbe and tabouleh, even among the third and fourth-generation offspring of the original immigrants.^[17]

Egypt

Hummus is traditionally garnished with cumin in Egypt.

Jordan

In Jordan Hummus mahluta (also known as Kudshiya) is covered with a combination of ful paste and warm chick peas.

Israel

Hummus is a common part of everyday meals in Israel.^[18] Many restaurants in Israel are dedicated to hummus, which may be served as chickpeas softened with baking soda along with garlic, olive oil, cumin and tahini. Hummus masabacha is made with lemon-spiked tahini garnished with whole chickpeas and a sprinkling of paprika^[19].

See also

• Arab cuisine
• Lebanese cuisine
• Palestinian cuisine
• Syrian cuisine

References

Wikibooks has a book on the topic of

Cookbook:Hummus

Bibliography