By: Nick Sahlollbey

Exams are around the corner. For most students, this generally means a few intensive weeks of early morning and late-night study sessions, high levels of stress, low levels of energy and repeated thoughts of dropping out. This behaviour is often exacerbated by hunger, so for your health and well-being during these hard times, you’re going to need to ensure you keep your belly full and your mind focused.

Hummus is a quick and easy snack that you can add to just about anything. Fortunately, it’s almost as easy to make as it is to eat. This article will provide an easy recipe to follow for students in need of a pick-me- up snack over the next few weeks.

Ingredients

To get started, you will need a can of chickpeas, olive oil, salt, cumin, garlic and lemon juice. Optionally, you can add tahini, a sesame paste that can be bought or made by blending sesame seeds, oil and salt.

While some prefer to leave it out, others love the zest and deep flavour that tahini adds. I’ve even had friends that claim that adding tahini can make the hummus taste like you’re eating a burrito (in a good way) so I highly suggest using it.

Steps 

1. Start by adding about half a cup of tahini to your food processor (or a high-powered blender), along with ¼ cup of lemon juice, and a garlic clove.
2. Blend this mixture for about one minute while making sure that you’re getting an even blend without the paste sticking to the sides.
3. Next, add two tablespoons of olive oil, a teaspoon of salt and another of cumin, and ¼ of your chickpeas (don’t forget to rinse them) before blending the paste again for another minute. * The key is to add the chickpeas in small quantities to get your hummus to come out as smooth as possible.
4. Again, scrape the sides of your blender and ensure you’re getting a nice and even blend, and then add the rest of your chickpeas and a couple tablespoons of water to facilitate the blending process and control the thickness of your paste.
5. Be patient with this blending process as you don’t want to end up with any chunky bits in the final product.
6. You can also add more water at this point if you feel that the smoothness of your hummus is not yet to your liking.
7. You can even add some canned red kidney beans for additional flavour and protein.

And that’s it, you’ve made hummus. If you like, top it up with some olive oil, paprika, and even hot sauce if you’re a spice lover. The lemon juice and salt have preserving effects and will ensure that your hummus will stay good for a couple of weeks in the fridge.

Serving Ideas

Unlike ranch and guacamole, hummus is a versatile food which can be eaten in many ways. Most commonly, hummus is spread over bread. Try cutting you pita bread into chips and slightly toasting them to get crunchy bread you that you can dip in your hummus. Feeling bold? Try mixing your hummus into your mashed potatoes and topping it off with a touch of sour cream. Hosting a party? Make a chip dip by throwing a layer of cheese and letting it melt in the oven. Top this up with a layer of sour cream and shredded lettuce.

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