Phil Vickery's perfect houmous
With Brits getting through 12,000 tonnes of houmous a year, spending over £60 million on the stuff, Phil's in the kitchen to show us how easy it is to whip up your own silky, smooth homemade houmous in less than five minutes - Guaranteed to be easier and tastier than your shop-bought tub.
Homemade Houmous
Serves: 4
Ingredients
350g dried chickpeas 4 tsp baking soda4-6 tbsp tahini6 garlic cloves, finely pasted Dash olive oil Salt and pepper Juice of 1 large lemon
Extra garnishes: Chopped fresh parsley and coriander Chopped spring onionsSliced green chilli Thick yoghurt Sun blushed tomatoes and fresh basil Chopped onionsSultanas Good-quality pesto
Method
1. Prepare the chickpeas a day before: wash them well, and cover with cold water. Add 2 tsp of baking soda and mix well. Pop into the fridge and leave overnight.
2. The next day, rinse the chickpeas well and place into a sauce pan. Add the remaining 2 tsp of baking soda and mix well. Cover with water, 2-3 cm higher than the chickpeas.
3. Bring the water to the boil, stir well and reduce the heat. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the peas are cooked and soft, but not falling apart. When the peas are cooked, drain and reserve the cooking liquor.
4. Place the tahini, ¾ of the cooked chickpeas and garlic into a good processor. Blitz at full speed for 2 minutes. If the mix is too thick, add a little of the cooking liquor to loosen it slightly.
5. Spoon the mix into a bowl and add salt, pepper and lemon juice. Mix well, taste and adjust if needed, according to preference. Serve warm with a swirl of extra room-temp tahini and a few of the warm whole chickpeas.
Cheats Houmous
Makes 200g approximately
Ingredients
400g can chickpeas, drained and water reserved, room-temperature 1 small clove garlic, chopped Juice of 1 lemon3 tbsp tahini Sea salt and ground black pepper
Method
1. Add the chickpeas, the garlic, 5 tbsp of the reserved chickpea water, the lemon juice and the tahini to a blender, and blitz to a smooth paste.
2. Spoon into a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust if needed.
Top tip: make sure the chickpeas and water are at room temperature, not cold, as that makes it easier to blend.
Simple Flatbreads
Makes: 4
Ingredients
225g self raising flourPinch of saltPinch of ground black pepper2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil3-4 tbsp chopped coriander (optional)175-200g runny natural yoghurt, enough to make a firm but loose dough
Method
1. Place the flour into a bowl, add the salt, pepper, coriander (if using), oil, and combine with enough yoghurt to make a very soft dough - persevere, as it will take a little while, but it will reach the desired consistency. Add more yoghurt only if really needed.
2. Transfer the dough to a very lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll out to make 4 thin discs.
3. Heat a dry non-stick frying pan and cook each flatbread for a few minutes on each side to blister and colour a little.