Why Hummus is the Perfect Dinner Base

[@MiddleEats]

I'm team smooth Hummus all the way, and I think there's quite a difference between smooth hummus, and watered down hummus. Smooth Hummus still has a thick texture, kind of how mashed avocado does, but adding more water to hummus gives it more of a velvety/custardy texture. Regardless of how you like it though, Ethan is right, hummus is a fantastic vehicle for other foods. You can get Hummus topped with Fried Chicken in Damascus, and it is damn tasty!

[@MrZootSuitz]

bold opinion to think there's a difference between smooth and watered down hummus

[@WillSavage]

@@MrZootSuitz couldn't resist could you. Instead of keeping your triggered-ass quiet or saying something nice you decided to write something stupid and childish. Fuck I hate the internet sometimes, makes people say shit they would NEVER say to people in real life.

[@Krawna]

As someone who has eaten hummus since I was a kid, I feel not just texture but there is a noticeable taste difference between watered down hummus vs smooth hummus.

[@blackenedfeatherz9503]

@@WillSavage um are you okay?

[@WillSavage]

@@blackenedfeatherz9503 yeh all good. Just sick of trolls getting away with being assholes

[@asbjrnalbiniussen5911]

Hot tip for the hummus; cook your own chickpeas, and while everything is still molten hot, blend the chickpeas using the bean water to thin it out and allow the blender to blend. You can get a ridiculously smooth hummus out of it. Any remaining chickpeas you can pass through a potato ricer to adjust the level of chunk.

[@theloganator13]

And then eat it hot! I don't know what the American obsession with cold hummus is, it's so much better hot in my opinion.

[@amirmograbi]

No, most of the pros let the chickpeas cool down and even blend in some ice to control the temp

[@KamikazekaitoKoki]

@@theloganator13 you can eat it hot????

[@theloganator13]

​@@amirmograbi I'm not talking about what the pros do, I said in my opinion it's better hot. Give it a try! In my (admittedly limited) time in the middle east, I was only ever served cold hummus for breakfast. With lunch or dinner it was always hot.

[@rosezingleman5007]

And remove those skins. I’m sorry but it’s not that time consuming and the results are just stellar. Yes, save bean water to thin to a good consistency. Anything less isn’t going to be awful, but less awesome.

[@Lrdox]

Love the hummus and meat topping! I love coarse hummus myself and as a Lebanese we make a "swimming hummus" (hummus msabbah) which is just boiled chickpeas with garlic, oil and lemon (not mashed at all) and honestly it's just the best! We usually use a spoon to put a bit of the mix on our bread then dig in 😀 Though I gotta be honest this is the first time I've seen zaa'tar used as a topping for hummus! Zaa'tar is a mix of thym, sumac and roasted sesame (+region specific) and it's commonly used as a main part of the dish (like a zaa'tar and oil pizza or just a zaa'tar sandwich with tomatoes) or as a side with labneh! I don't really know what kind of zaa'tar could go on hummus given the flavors :o Since we're on the topic of Hummus being a meal (breakfast or dinner) base, one thing I'd really recommend is fresh onions and more fresh vegetables! In this dish your roasted veggies and meat were the warm ingredients and you had some fresh veggies and your hummus as cold ingredients; what if that''s flipped? Warm Hummus and meat but cold veggies only! Onions, olives, pickles, mint, tomatoes, cucumbers, radish or anything else you want :D Hope I don't give an annoying commenter's tone because this is just a recommendation since you went through the process of making your hummus! Bon appétit and happy tasting 😇

[@perhaps_a_cat]

YESSS! I was looking for this comment. Lebanese myself, growing up we had both smooth hummus and msabbaha. Now as an adult, i mainly make msabbaha. Its way easier to make, i prefer the texture, no tahini needed (i dont think its necessary), and no need to use the blender. It takes like 5min to make. My wife and I call it the "poor man's hummus" 😂 but yea, ur right, the name refers to 'swimming'.

[@fheering]

Interesting, I’ve never heard of this swimming hummus. Could you give approximate quantities of the ingredients, please?

[@Lrdox]

@@perhaps_a_cat Yuss! Hummus msabbah is how we call it from where I am and I definitely agree! I just love the heartwarming feel of it to be honest and damn when you feel that fresh onion on the chickpeas ughhhh :D

[@Lrdox]

@@fheering Hmm it's really a matter of how much of each you like, but I'd start with keeping 5% of your chickpea boiling water then adding all the beans into a bowl. Then you add a little splash of water, 1-2 tbsp of olive oil,1 tbsp of lemon and 1 crushed garlic clove! Then you add to what you feel like it's missing to get it to your liking 😇

[@fheering]

@@Lrdox amazing, thanks for the recipe sugestion! I’ll start from it! 😄

[@apacheY2K]

an additional "cherry on top" would be some roasted almonds, cashews, or pine nuts on top of the meat! Adds a whole other dimension to the whole dish!

[@huludShai]

Ability to whip up a meal in less than 10 minutes is why I love this channel!

[@heli0s101]

Not counting cooking and peeling the chickpeas, the latter of which is a pain in the neck.

[@TheMovingEye]

In the past I used hummus just as a spread for sandwiches until a Syrian restaurant introduced me to their serving of humus, similar to the one in the vid. Instead of a spread its a whole dish: lots of hummus combined with pickled veggies and awesome falaffel (later a palestinian introduced me to raw onions which is also perfect with hummus). Been in love with it since.

[@MadsFeierskov]

Definitely consider sprinkling with sumak as well. Sumak goes so great with hummus.

[@mirk9789]

What's sumak?

[@heksogen4788]

Zaatar often has sumak.

[@TheGreektrojan]

@@mirk9789 Sumac is an spice popular in the middle east that has a lemony/tart flavor. Za'atar is a spice blend that often has sumac in it.

[@Ahmed-kv3dj]

I’ve never seen anyone cut cherry tomatoes like you did at 3:19 and I’m impressed, very nice!

[@EthanChlebowski]

That was a trick I saw from Kenji Lopez a couple years back lol. It's a great technique!

[@jonahpappas9955]

Quick tip - if you're looking for smoother hummus, here's a quick and easy method . Chickpeas in a big pot with about double the amount of water, bunch of baking soda, cook on low for 20m of so. You want the chickpeas to cook further until they are spreadable, which is the same consistency you want when you cook your own. The baking soda helps remove the skins which isn't a giant deal (seriously do not try to remove all the skins, you will waste so much time) but it makes it a bit smoother and isn't any extra effort. Then add normally. Also, make sure to use unsalted chickpeas. You will want to control the salt you add in the blender and if you accidentally add salted instead of unsalted that'll give you big variations in your hummus flavor. My hummus never tasted quite right until I moved to unsalted so I could add salt myself to my heart's content.

[@barbra429]

Yes the boiling n side works, no need to peel the skins.

[@Virginiafox21]

Homemade pita are absolutely delicious, would definitely recommend trying out! It’s finicky at first, but once you figure it out it’s easy to get a good puff. Still, a pocket isn’t necessary for eating hummus so I don’t care that much! The recipe I use only takes a couple hours too, which is pretty good for a yeasted bread. The recipe I use is a modified one from the pro chef, with a 2:1 bread flour to wheat flour and a longer rest after the final shape (30-45 mins vs 10 mins).

[@EvanC881]

My family on my dad's side is Lebanese and I was just thinking that it had been a long time since I had made some Lebanese food. Made some mujadara but it didn't come out amazing (I'm not a great cook). Now I want to make this hummus plate! Gosh what lovely family memories. My Sitto (grandmother) died a few years ago and this video makes me miss her even more. Thank you for the nostalgia and the extra push to make more Lebanese cuisine!

[@skyfluff5213]

Growing up in the middle east hummus was often the main dish on a weekday lunch. Eaten with pita bread, olive oil, and pickled goods it was more than enough to fill our stomachs after a long day at school. For that, I kind of don't like how the western world shaped hummus to be the dip for their veggies as a "snack", so I really appreciate your placement of our dear hummus on a full meal's plate.

[@johnpickles9712]

Hey Ethan, Been watching your vids for a while now and you always have bomb recipes. As a Middle Easterner I can confirm we mainly grew up eating home made smooth hummus, and we never really ate the chunky stuff. I think a more controversial opinion would be hummus > baba ghanoush, it is in my house hold anyways haha. Love to see you using Zaatar to season, we use it all the time. P.s. it’s pronounced Zaatar , with an r at the end not Zata!

[@yitziyyb]

Agreed Was also going to correct the pronunciation

[@daniah5427]

Hummus is definitely > baba ganoush. I could hummus and carrots all day everyday

[@EthanChlebowski]

I think I'm team baba over hummus as well lol.

[@Damindeater]

Saying Hummus is better than Baba Ghanoush could get you in serious trouble in my family.

[@donotlike4anonymus594]

Za ha tar.. za aa tar like gaa/haa...-tar

[@JPToto]

Immediately added this to the weekly menu options. Thanks Ethan!

[@aravindkrishna2043]

Seriously, how freaking perfect is it that I just found a recipe for hummus and pita bread on Google? You’re a godsend, man.

[@generalsnuggle4328]

When I make hummus, I usually make the tahini sauce separately by blending a couple garlic cloves with the juice of a lemon and then straining it to a bowl of tahini paste so you don't get any of the garlic or lemon bits but get all the flavour. Then I mix it in together until it becomes like a thick paste and then I slowly add a couple of tbsp of water at a time until it reaches my desired consistency - usually something that falls of the whisk in ribbons. Then I add the paste along side the chickpeas, cumin, salt and olive oil into a blender and blend it until homogenous.

[@jonathansharret4900]

This also mellows the garlic flavor. I think it's the acid in the lemon that does that.

[@generalsnuggle4328]

@@jonathansharret4900 Yeah, I was watching Kenji's falafel vid yesterday and he kinda explains that the lemon's acidity removes some of the bite that comes from raw garlic but still retains that garlic flavour. either way its a win-win situation - though I kinda like that garlic bite lol.

[@worldwide_cruising]

*I can't imagine what I would do without Ethans amazing food hacks and ideas...* 🥰💖👍

[@GotEmAll1337]

"Gotta construct that perfect last bite" ...I feel that so much. Looks damn good man. I'm middle eastern and love this kind of thing, comfort food for me really...but I almost always have rice or bread with it. Gonna have to try this sans carb bombs!

[@lauriewhincup5635]

Awesome recipe for Hummus. Thankyou💕 Do prefer hummus a bit course. Tip on veggies. Use olive oil in frying pan with lid. Add hardest texture of veggies. Put on lid. Add rest of veggies put on lid and steam. Don't forget to add spices. Takes half the time.

[@TimeLapseRich]

My wife was in the kitchen making hummus when you uploaded the vid, we had a good laugh at the coincidence and will make a plater like you did.

[@rickzzz1]

I love your videos and recipes. The most entertaining part is watching you devour your food. If I were ever to cook a meal for you, I’m not sure if I’d be flattered that you ate it so eagerly or insulted that you ate it too fast to savor it. LOL

[@ryantruman6956]

Healthy, simple, beautiful. Nicely done as always Ethan.

[@Siowen_art]

That was a seriously delicious explosion of flavors. I did some variations on the meat and spices, but the hummus brought everything together. Can't wait to have this again tomorrow at a fraction of the time spent. :)

[@justincoffey3930]

My dude, what a flex with the cherry tomato slice using two lids…no mention of the technique. Like a little mind blowing mic drop, well done.

[@Vel_Vivi]

I just had this for lunch. I felt so full but felt so light. Probably total like 800 calories for a pig out meal. Much love Ethan. This is my new favorite meal

[@catche85]

My fave combos are beetroot hummus topped with roasted carrots, cauliflower, and pumpkin, with sumac dusted pita and a sprinkle of dukkah, OR normal hummus with ground lamb, toasted pine nuts, mint, feta and pomegranate seeds with pita. Agreed, it's an awesome way to eat and perfect for one person or on a platter to share.

[@souffka]

You absolutely need to find middle eastern style pickled turnips, they're so good I used to eat them straight out of the jar while watching tv as a kid. As a fellow pickle man I cant let you eat hummus without em!

[@CretuEusebiu]

I discovered recently how easy and delicious is to make your own hummus. Now I'm making it by the tub 😂. Goes well with everything.

[@dumitruserban1602]

I just made this. One of the best dinners of my life

[@Hamox]

As a middle Eastern, I approve of this video

[@Jacklawi]

Actually.. I was triggered by mispronouncing ZaataR(!)

[@amirmograbi]

@@Jacklawi yeah WTH was that ? It has an R

[@Hamox]

@@Jacklawi I mean, most Americans can't pronounce that word

[@quaidrasmussen4151]

Hearing you pronounce za’atar correctly made me so happy everyone always feels the need to say the R

[@angeladundon7271]

That looks absolutely delicious!! I always have your pink pickled onions in my fridge. Thanks for another great video Ethan

[@kylelitwack]

You upload so often. I love it.

[@iarreolav]

im glad this guy still makes videos

[@tamz0309]

I love eating hummus with lemon pepper tuna fish, baby cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and fresh naan. Olives and feta are also always welcome on the plate

[@ricardopareja4021]

I appreciate that in some of your videos you go in-depth on certain things which is very helpful and insightful. But videos like these where you show a simple recipe along with it being a brief video is also great. Top-tier cooking content. Hope to see you at 1 Million soon!

[@brushemteeth9159]

Your texture is actually the authentic one!

[@edrosales1520]

I'm not sure if I'm disappointed this video is something I already knew, or proud I beat Ethan to discovering something. My favorite thing to do is broiled zucchini, broiled cauliflower and raw carrots over a small container of store bought hummus. I usually use Greek or Cajun seasoning on the veggies. It's a quick healthy lunch that keeps well and tastes great

[@JimboXiii]

good hummus recipe dude! I did a quick peel of the skins of the chickpeas first. Just tossed the tin into a big pot with a load of cold water, then rubbed the chickpeas together in my hands, drain off the water through a fine mesh to catch the skins, and repeat a few more times. Takes about 5 mins to get 75-90% of the skins out.

[@danielwilson1105]

Casually demonstrates insane tomato cutting strategy! And says nothing! Wow 👏

[@larkendelvie]

I love having a hummus meal for dinner in the summer -- so easy and so cool. For mine I usually cut up an apple, zucchini, cauliflower, red pepper, baby carrots and a few green olives. This changes on the fly depending on what veggies and meat are leftover. I'll have to try roasting some veggies.

[@humm23]

This meal idea has become a family favorite. We have had it once a week since you have published this video. Thank you so much for the ideas.

[@martinbooyens6013]

Hummus has become one of my favourite things to make in the past few months

[@morganchilds9054]

That looks terrific. I like both styles of hummus... I suppose the chunkier hummus is a bit more Greek/Mediterranean, and the smooth would be more Lebanese/Palestinian style. I do make it extra smooth at home for myself, and I go to the effort of skinning the chickpeas, which, while crazy-making, really does make a difference in the finished product.

[@SunDevi1s66]

team thick hummus here. love the way it coats my mouth and brings me back to childhood. respect for my thin hummus gang as well.

[@RyanJones4444]

You actually show everything; I appreciate it.

[@chantelcarter7656]

This was so fun to make, and to eat. I burned my veggies the first time around lol because I forgot the cardinal rule: everyone’s oven is different! But the effort was ultimately worth it and I’m very happy with the results. I even took a crack at making my own harissa paste - very interesting condiment! I like it a lot. Thanks, Ethan.

[@Bloquita5]

Yum! I have most of those ingredients in the fridge and was thinking of what to whip up for tomorrow’s dinner. Great content on your videos-I appreciate the amount of work and how well you present them. I love Za’atar! Muchas gracias, Ethan! 🙏🏽

[@dehjosh]

Please continue to do more Middle Eastern foods. Highly recommend Persian koobideh but you will need a grill and can not remember if I have ever seen you use one.

[@meowica5285]

I was inspired. Made pickled onions and red cabbage, tabouli, and went out to get extra tomatoes and peppers to make matbucha. Tackling the pita’s tomorrow! 🤤 Thanks for the great content!

[@donotlike4anonymus594]

One of the qmazing things about hummus.... is that it basiclly goes with everything... it's f'ing amazing... vegtables meat bread etc... It's pscked of great protein and has a great flavor... I mean Seriously... take some dry bread add humuss and it moisturises it well... It is rich but not overwhelmingly fatty/shdows other tastes (unlike for example mayonnaise...) Get the perfect texture and consistency by controlling the processing easily... /add water/thini to taste... I mean the versatility is amazing

[@Cristian.Cortez]

Whether on the smoother side or more rough, I think they can both be good, personally I do like it a bit grainy, but the consistency has to be consistent throughout, if the hummus is all over the place it's really off putting

[@aaronb.1023]

I found you a week ago and I cant stop watching your videos. I love the way you make your videos and how you cook. Big probs, friend!

[@paula9604]

I’ve recently discovered your station and love your casual style and your great, simple recipes. I make “smooth” hummus often and have never added meat on top. Will definitely give it a try. I do add various flavors to my hummus such as sun dried tomatoes, chipotle, and pesto to change things up.

[@IAI060]

OMG i'm not the only one who constructs the perfect last bite :o

[@simplymadeeats]

This looks delicious! I love using hummus as a base for protein. I eat it a lot for lunch with veggies and pita bread. YUM!

[@cknopik]

Found this on your website early and made it last night (minus the lamb)! Super satisfying meal - thanks for the easy recipe!

[@JSanders]

We’re making a version of this next weekend!! Thanks for the inspiration, always look forward to seeing your videos

[@oqasho.]

One of my favorite ways to eat hummus is topped with a good amount of sauteed ground meat cooked in olive oil, salt, and pepper and then a good sprinkle of sumac over the dish. Finally, eat it with spikes of cucumber. It's fantastic.

[@morgananderson5058]

This guy cooks just like my mom

[@sky.london]

I knew a soon as this started that I wanted to make this. Made it this morning and having it for lunch at work. Thanks for the inspo, I love it.

[@tamp1o]

I'm running out of weekdays with all these weekday recipes... keep em coming

[@Metoobie]

Now that's a meal! When I want more protein, I blend some peanut butter into the hummus. I also use vinegar more than water to make it a little tangy. Really cool way to slice those cherry tomatoes!

[@sutton2582]

3:20 Ethan just casually blowing my mind with this cherry tomato trick and he doesn't even bat an eyelash

[@Gunships.]

coarse hummus for the win, great to spread on a flat bread with some lemon and cayenne on top simple dinner healthy and super easy and quick to make.

[@Ashewyn]

I think your pronounciation of zaatar is very cute 🥺 but the r is very distinct when saying the word! It's said like zah-tur (tur as in turkish and za as in zambia)

[@saimmohammed3089]

Hey Ethan, love the videos as always and appreciate how you always use middle eastern/south asian spices. Also any chance we get some videos on how to pickle stuff and your favorites?

[@DougCooking]

The colors on that plate are amazing! Love this combo with the lamb. 👍

[@imfrcd]

Youm, been doing a lot of hummus, your way is the easiest directions yet.

[@EricaSager]

for sure prefer coarser hummus, and you GOTTA try dipping raw white onion - they do it in the middle east and for good reason!! it cuts the sharpness of the onion and it's so delicious

[@dianegerlach2454]

ahhhhh, super clever way to slice those tomatoes!!

[@Kami-ej9ew]

That container lid trick with the cherry tomatoes shattered my perception of reality

[@jameshaulenbeek5931]

I also like to use hummus as a sandwich spread - it goes wonderfully with a nice, savory cold cut, fresh tomatoes and greens...

[@wisskier]

There is a place in town that makes killer hummus like I used to get in the UAE. I bought a kilo of it for an office food day and was so looking forward to having the rest of it at home. Alas, refrigerator clean out day struck.

[@SeeMzFTW]

That deli cup lid cherry tomato trick was an otherworldly flex

[@RevolutionAndPeace]

Woah!! Watching you cut the tomatoes. Wow! Why hadn't I thought of that. Happy to have learned a quick tip thnkq This food all looks yummy too

[@kelpsie]

I'm team coarseness in most things. Coarse hummus, chunky peanut butter, mashed potatoes with the skins, egg salad with chopped (rather than mashed) eggs, etc.

[@ibrahimshebel4879]

Finally someone who prefers chunkier hummus.... Its has much more of an interesting texture unlike super smooth hummus in which every bite is the same

[@saratakkoush6109]

ZaataRRR hard R ... Ethan 😂 So happy to see you doing Middle eastern cuisine!!

[@ctchick05]

THIS LOOKS SOOOOOOO GOOD!

[@FREE_LAND_1]

I love Arabic food's hummus 😋

[@pmordacq]

Sir!!! This was delicious. Made it for dinner tonight and absolutely love it. Thank you!

[@gaetan4164]

I could never make hummus before, no matter whether the chickpeas are canned or dried. It would end up watery and grainy. The secret I've found is to boil the chickpeas with some baking soda (natron). If you're using dried, just add it to the boiling water; if canned, boil them anyway (just not very long). The baking soda will make the chickpeas puree beautifully, with that nice smooth but satisfying texture. You can use this trick with any other bean by the way. The second trick is to press the garlic into the lemon juice and let it rest for 10 minutes before using it. The acid will neutralize the garlic's burn while keeping the taste intact.

[@rahilmehta2376]

I like both, honestly.

[@Amishbr]

Hummus is so easy to make at home I’ll never buy it from the store. I love a chunky hummus and will toss on some whole or fried crispy chickpeas to add in more crunch too.

[@henriknilsson7730]

Coarse man - super good. If i dont make it myself, I often just tune it a bit with some fresh lemon juice, salt, olive oil and a dash of cumin.

[@MrSwarIey]

When I make hummus I roast the garlic in the oven warpped in al foil to help take the edge off and develop flavour

[@rhuffstedtler]

The cherry slicing tip that Ethan didn’t even talk to was worth the price of admission

[@AriIsenberg]

Smooth but thicker hummus is the way to go. Love this! Just had Mediterranean last night and loved it. Also... what was that insane trick you used to cut the cherry tomatoes?! Magic.

[@MarioGomez-cw8hq]

As a vegan hummus is a lifesaver for quick hummus veggie sandwiches, snacks, etc.

[@tobiallich3258]

Silky Smooth all day long! I would like to add one recommendation to that Hummus: I like to enjoy my Hummus warm. In my opinion it tastes somewhat deeper or more "full", if that makes sense ... little hard to describe for me as a german guy.

[@RorysRamblings]

I made this and it was great! thanks for the recipe.

[@heyitsdonia]

Your use of zaatar makes me really happy :)

[@lauriewhincup5635]

Always cook own chickpeas in slow cooker day before. AWESOME ♥️

[@ayman.s]

Course hummus is the way to go: less water and pulse the processor works too. Great vid! Chicken shawarma over hummus is amazing.

[@funkyskunkvids]

That tip for halving cherry tomatoes. Utterly brilliant!!! 😄

[@pinkstrad]

Oh I love super smooth hummus-like, whipped cream texture. It’s a labor of love though 😅

[@misterbryton1213]

I make mine with a mortar and pestle so it's course. I like it that way.

[@TheSlavChef]

Loving all kinds of hummus. Great vid!

[@MedCodingGoddess]

Great video, Ethan. I'm Team Smooth Hummus. I peel my chickpeas before they go into the blender or food processor.