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Hummus el sham
حمص الشام: hot chickpeas in their spiced broth with tomato, lemon, cumin and chilli, sold in steaming cups from street carts
When the cold winds of January blow through Cairo and Alexandria, carts with steaming copper pots appear on street corners, outside universities and along the Corniche. The vendor ladles hummus el sham — Levantine chickpeas — into glasses: soft chickpeas in their own cooking broth, seasoned with lemon, cumin, salt and a fiery spoon of shatta, sometimes with tomato and chopped onion. It is drunk and eaten with a spoon, a warming, peppery, sour-salty cup that is very different from the dip. The common mistake is using undercooked chickpeas or draining away the cooking water: the broth is the drink, and it should be cloudy and slightly thick from chickpeas that are soft enough to crush between your fingers. A pinch of bicarbonate of soda in the pot helps them soften, as Cairo vendors do. It is ready when the broth tastes deeply of chickpeas and lemon, the cumin is fragrant and the chilli leaves a warm burn. Adjust the heat for children. Canned chickpeas with their liquid work in a pinch: simmer them for 10 minutes with fresh water. Chef's tip: squeeze the lemon into each cup at the end; boiled lemon turns bitter.
- Total time
- 85 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the chickpeas
- 9 oz dried chickpeassoaked overnight in plenty of cold water
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 8 ¼ cups water
- 1 ripe tomatograted, skin discarded
- 2 garlic clovecrushed
- 1 ½ tsp saltto taste
For seasoning
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 4 tbsp lemon juicefrom about 2 lemons
- 1 tsp hot chilli flakes or shatta (chilli paste)more to taste
To serve
- 2 tbsp finely chopped red onion (optional)
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Drain and rinse 9 oz dried chickpeas, put them in a large pot with ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda and 8 ¼ cups water and bring to the boil over high heat. Skim off the grey foam that rises.
10 minStep 2: Lower the heat, partly cover and simmer for 50–60 minutes, until the chickpeas crush easily between two fingers and the broth looks cloudy. Add hot water if it drops below about 1.2 litres.
55 minStep 3: Stir in 1 ripe tomato, 2 garlic clove and 1 ½ tsp salt and simmer 5 more minutes, until the tomato melts into the broth.
5 minStep 4: Add 1 ½ tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp hot chilli flakes or shatta (chilli paste), simmer 2 minutes, then taste the broth: it should be well salted, warm with cumin and with a clear burn.
3 minStep 5: Ladle chickpeas and plenty of broth into heatproof glasses or cups, add 2 tsp of 4 tbsp lemon juice to each and top with 2 tbsp finely chopped red onion and 2 tbsp chopped parsley. Serve hot with spoons.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 180 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hummus el sham take?
- About 85 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of dried chickpeas?
- Cannellini or butter beans, same amount.
- What can I use instead of bicarbonate of soda?
- Baking powder, three times the amount (the bake may taste slightly different).
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