Balila, Hummus Balila
Description
If I had to eat one breakfast for the rest of my life it would be balila: Creamy, healthy and cheap, yes it has it all. This Lebanese style chickpeas are extremely tender and rich enough to serve as a whole meal, with some Arabic bread for dipping into the silky . Olive oil, garlic and lemon juice are the key ingredients and a pinch of cumin powder add extra depth of flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried chickpeas
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon baking soda divided between soaking and cooking
- Extra virgin olive oil to add upon serving.
- Water for soaking, and cooking the chickpeas
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the dried chickpeas and cover with twice its volume with cold water, add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. Leave on your kitchen bench to soak overnight.
- Once the chickpeas have been rehydrated, drain the water they have been soaking in and add them to a large pot and cover with 1 1/2 liters/ 6 cups fresh water.
- Bring to a boil, remove the scum that appears on top and add the rest of baking soda. The scum will appear one more time after the addition of baking soda, remove the scum one more time. Turn down the heat and simmer gently until they’re tender – they need to be easy to mush, and almost falling apart, until the chickpeas are very soft and smush when pressed between your fingers, will take between 1 to 2 hours depending on your chickpeas (older chickpeas require more time). Add more hot water if they seem to be boiling dry.
- Crush the garlic to a smooth paste, and squeeze the lemon juice.
- Toast the pine nuts in a skillet with just a bit of sunflower oil to a golden color, or oil free toasting, if you prefer.
- In a bowl add the crushed garlic, lemon juice and cumin powder.
- Remove the chickpeas with a slotted spoon, and add them to the bowl, with just a bit of broth of the chickpeas (about 1/3 cup).
- Roughly mash the chickpeas using a masher, balila is meant to have that chunky rustic look, adjust salt to your taste preference. Transfer to a serving bowl, decorate with toasted pine nuts and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Serve it with onion rings, mint leaves, pickles and Arabic bread. Heavenly!
Video
Notes
Make it spicy: Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or a diced green chilies.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!