Hummus bowl with charred cauliflower and za’atar yogurt

February 14, 2022

Home-made hummus is easy to make, and you need very few ingredients.

I recommend using dry chickpeas, soaking them the night before, and boiling them in the morning. They are much tastier than the canned version.

I use two types of dry chickpeas, with and without the skin. I usually make my hummus with skinless chickpeas and the one with the skin I keep for topping the hummus. Both make delicious, creamy hummus, but I find that the skinless ones cook a bit faster.

I also never add salt or baking soda to the water when I boil them, as the chickpeas water, aka “aquafaba”, makes great vegan meringue or mayonnaise. But it is up to you.

RECIPE

Hummus

200 g dry chickpeas
2-4 tablespoons tahini
juice of 1 lemon, or more
1 garlic clove, minced (about ¼ teaspoon minced garlic)
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon cumin

Cauliflower topping

1 small cauliflower, cut into florets (about 2 cups)
Medium size onion (150 g), thinly sliced
½ cup cooked chickpeas (reserved from hummus)
1 tablespoon olive oil for cooking, plus more for topping the hummus
Zest from ½ lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
A handful of fresh parsley, washed and finely chopped

Yogurt

1 cup Greek-style coconut yogurt (or normal Greek yogurt)
1-2 tsp za’atar
Lemon juice, to taste
Salt, to taste

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METHOD

Soak the chickpeas overnight in plenty of water.
The next day, place the soaked chickpeas in a pot and cover them with fresh water. Bring to boil, and then lower the heat and slowly cook them until they are soft, about 30-45 minutes, or even more; it depends on what type of chickpeas you will use.
Strain the boiled chickpeas, saving the water, and cool them completely. Save ½ cup of chickpeas for the topping.
Place the chickpeas, the tahini, the lemon juice, the minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of the water from boiling the chickpeas in the blender, and process until creamy consistency. Add more water if necessary, but do it gradually.
Add salt and cumin, taste, and adjust the taste to your liking. Set aside while you make the toppings.
Cook the cauliflower. You can either steam, boil, or roast the florets. You want them to be cooked but still tender. Set them aside.
Preheat the oven to 220C and place the rack in the grilling position.
In a large ovenproof frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil, add onion, and cook until it caramelizes a bit. Add the cooked cauliflower, reserved chickpeas, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. Mix and cook for a minute.
Place the entire pan in the oven and set the range to grill setting. Grill/Broil for about 5-7 min, until the cauliflower and chickpeas are lightly charred. This is optional, but charring the topping will add additional depth of flavor to the dish.
To make the za’atar yogurt, mix all the ingredients in a small bowl, season, and set aside. You may want to add 1-2 teaspoons of water to thin the texture of the yogurt.
To assemble, divide the hummus among the bowls, or one large platter, generously drizzle with za’atar yogurt, scatter still warm cauliflower mix on top, and garnish with finely chopped parsley.

RECIPE

Hummus

200 g dry chickpeas
2-4 tablespoons tahini
juice of 1 lemon, or more
1 garlic clove, minced (about ¼ teaspoon minced garlic)
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon cumin

Cauliflower topping

1 small cauliflower, cut into florets (about 2 cups)
Medium size onion (150 g), thinly sliced
½ cup cooked chickpeas (reserved from hummus)
1 tablespoon olive oil for cooking, plus more for topping the hummus
Zest from ½ lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
A handful of fresh parsley, washed and finely chopped

Yogurt

1 cup Greek-style coconut yogurt (or normal Greek yogurt)
1-2 tsp za’atar
Lemon juice, to taste
Salt, to taste

PRINT IT

Hummus bowl with charred cauliflower and za’atar yogurt

RECIPE

METHOD

RECIPE

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