Serves: 4
This simple and popular dish owes its special flavor to warming baharat seasoning, served at the El Abed Abu Hmid Hummus eatery, located in the heart of Acre’s Old Lighthouse compound. Owner Arin Abu-Hmid Kurdi named it in honor of her late father.
Recipe adapted from On the Hummus Route by Ariel Rosenthal, Orli Peli-Bronsthein and Dan Alexander
- Heat the ghee over medium heat in a large pan.
- Add the chickpeas, season with baharat and salt, mix together well, and cook, stirring continuously until the chickpeas have absorbed the fat and spices, about 5 minutes.
- Serve warm with a chopped vegetable salad.
For the cooked chickeas - Ariel Rosenthal's method:
- Place the chickpeas in a bowl, add water to cover by at least 5cm and refrigerate for at least 24 hours but no more than 48 hours.
- Drain and thoroughly rinse the soaked chickpeas.
- Transfer them to a deep, large saucepan. Add water to cover by at least 5cm, add the baking soda and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer until the chickpeas are soft, the skins are split, and the cooking liquid is thick and gelatinous, 1 to 1 ¼ hours. Make sure that the water is at a steady simmer and the chickpeas are in constant motion. Use a spoon to occasionally skim the foam floating to the surface.
- If using whole chickpeas as garnish, use a slotted spoon to set aside 1 cup of chickpeas when they are soft, but before they lose their shape.
- Let cool. Place in an airtight box and cover with the cooking liquid. Cover and keep refrigerated until ready to use, 2 to 3 days.
Ingredients
500g cooked chickpeas (see method below)
3 tbsp samneh or ghee
1 tbsp bought or homemade baharat spice mix
Salt, to taste
For the chickpeas:
500g small dried chickpeas
2 tsp baking soda