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Hummus

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Hummus is a creamy and savory dip or spread.

houmous
houmous

Its full name is Hummus Bi Tahini. In Arabic, this means "chickpeas with tahini." This dish is a staple food in the Levant. People in this region eat it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is often served as part of a meze, which is a selection of small dishes. You can scoop it up with flatbread like pita.

Hummuswithpinenuts
Hummuswithpinenuts

It also goes well with falafel, grilled chicken, or eggplant.

Making hummus is a simple but delicious process. You start with cooked, mashed chickpeas. These are blended with tahini, which is a paste made from sesame seeds. You also add lemon juice and garlic to give it flavor. To finish, people often add a garnish on top. Common toppings include olive oil, parsley, or paprika. Some people even add whole chickpeas or pine nuts for texture.

This food has a very long history in the Middle East. The earliest mention of a dish like hummus is from a 13th-century cookbook. This book was written by a historian named Ibn al-Adim in Aleppo, Syria. That recipe was called chickpea kisāʾ, or "garment." It used lemon and sesame but did not have garlic. Later, in the 14th century, recipes appeared in Cairo. By 1885, a Lebanese cookbook showed that garlic had become a standard part of the recipe.

Hummus is enjoyed in many different ways around the world. In Israel, it is a very popular dish for many people. Iraqi Jews brought unique versions, like adding fried eggplant or boiled eggs. In the United Kingdom, the dish is often spelled "houmous." It became very popular there through Greek Cypriot caterers. In the United States, hummus sales have grown a lot. Some companies even make new flavors like beet or chocolate.

Even though it is a simple food, it can cause big debates. Different countries sometimes argue over who invented it. For example, Lebanon and Israel have competed for the Guinness World Record for the largest dish of hummus. In 2010, cooks in the village of al-Fanar, near Beirut, made a huge batch. It weighed about 1,000 kilograms. This was more than double the previous record. This shows how much people care about this special food.

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