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This week MIZU turns its eyes to Greece for some inspiration. Specifically Chóra, a religious hub for the Greek Orthodox. The small island of Pátamos , where Chóa sits, is reputed to be where St. John the Theologian wrote his gospel and the Apocalypse. in the 10th Century, the city of Chóra erected a massive monastery int he decibels honor and houses precious antique relics of unique religious beauty.
What better way to get in the spirit of everything Greek and channel some inspiration than with food! Tastes and textures have the ability to really transport you to a place with out spending 1,200 on a roundtrip ticket to Athens. Im sure when you hear 'Greek food’ one of the first things that will come to mind is Hummus ( or maybe yogurt- 0% fage with chia please! )
Hummus is SO easy to make and very inexpensive, especially when you make it in bulk. I blow through hummus like it’s water so this is great way to cut spending. I’ve made this hummus on like lighter side ( less oil, more water ) but still packs a lemony- garlic punch with a little spice. A main ingredient in Hummus is TAHINI- a ground sesame seed paste. It’s very similar to peanut butter with a little more of a bite. For a while I was using it as a peanut butter substitute to switch things up. It can be found in the international aisle as well as the peanut butter isle in most supermarkets. Don't like Tahini or simply don't have any lying around? Fear not! Replace with non-fat greek yogurt for a creamier, fresh tasting hummus.
A little trick to make a very creamy hummus is peel the skin of each chickpea, but honestly.. ain’t nobody got time for that.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Hummus:
- 2 cans ( 15 oz ) chickpeas, strained and rinsed
- 2 lemons, zest and juice of
- 1/4 cup Tahini
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4-6 Tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Topping:
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup almonds, slivered
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Basil to garnish
Here’s what you’ll need to do:
For the topping: Heat olive oil in in medium pan over medium-high heat. Add spices and toast for 30 seconds. Add garlic and almonds. Stirring occasionally, cook until garlic is evenly golden brown.
For the hummus: Starting with the liquids, add ingredients into food processor**. Only use 4 T of water and add additional as needed. Blend until all lumps, bumps and chunks are gone.
Remove from food processes or and garnish with garlic-almond topping and freshly chopped basil. Makes approx. 5 cups of Hummus. Enjoy!
