Bang-On

Hummus has got to be the easiest thing in the universe to make. A good hummus is irresistible and a bad one can turn you off the stuff for months. So why do so many people get it wrong? Why is it always so ho-hum? I think the answer is canned chickpeas, too much garlic, lemon, tahini or all of the above. I’ve often been charged with over seasoning of the lemon and garlic variety and I admit I’m guilty.

I learned just how bad middle eastern food can go, when I catered my friend Vanessa’s birthday at the sailing club years ago. Let’s just say the tahini sauce was reminiscent of peanut butter and had I not had the help of someone who used to have a Lebanese neighbour, I would have been in hot water.

I was determined to have a middle eastern meal last Sunday and with no decent shawarma shop for miles, I did what any good foodie would do. I made it all my myself, guessing where I needed to along the way. Surprisingly I had never made shawarma before, but I wasn’t about to let that stop me.

Somewhere amidst all the garlic and tahini I found my mojo. This meal was bang-on. I had a hummus epiphany that will forever change the way I make it. Who knew roasted garlic and oregano would be the secret?


This hummus was one of the best I’ve ever had, and paired with my old faithful tabbouleh and new shawarma recipe it was a feast fit for a Turkish king. But don’t take my word for it. Make it yourself. In fact, make all of it. You won’t be disappointed.



Roasted Garlic Hummus w/ Oregano

There is no tahini or raw garlic in this recipe. Gasp! I know…but trust me on this one. It’s delicious.

1 can chickpeas (if you have more time and can cook your own from dried- pls do)
2 tablespoons roasted garlic- see instructions below
1 tablespoon lemon juice (more to taste if you like)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh oregano (please don’t use dried, its not the same)
Salt to taste

To roast garlic- Take a piece of aluminum foil and place a head of garlic on top. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap the foil around the garlic head. Place in a 350 degree oven on the middle rack and roast for 30-40 minutes, or until fragrant. Take out and let cool. Slice off the top of a small piece of the top of the garlic head and squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves.

Rinse the chickpeas well and place in a food processor or blender with all the other ingredients. Blend until smooth adding some water if mixture is too dry.

Tabbouleh

I knew someone once who used a food processor and dried mint to make his tabbouleh. While these may seem like good short cuts- they aren’t! It takes a little more time and effort to buy things fresh and chop them by hand, but the result is certainly worth it.


1 bunch of Italian parsley
3 large roma tomatoes
½ cup bulgur wheat
½ bunch of mint
3 green onions finely sliced (white and green parts)
¼ cup good quality olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon (or a little more if you’re an over lemoner like me)
Salt to taste

Rinse bulgur wheat well and place in a bowl. Pour half a cup of hot water on top. Drain after 15 minutes. Finely chop the leaves only of the parsley and mint, and finely slice the green onions. Finely chop the roma tomatoes. In a large bowl mix the bulgur, tomatoes, parsley, green onions and mint together. Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice on top and add salt to taste. Mix well. Let salad marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Mix again before serving.

Chicken Shawarma













1 ½ lbs. Mix of boneless chicken breast & thighs cut into strips
Marinade
Juice of 1 lemon
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon sumac*
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt

Mix all marinade ingredients together. Cut chicken into small strips. Pour marinade over chicken in a shallow dish or large Ziploc bag- and marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Barbeque chicken strips on a grill until outside is browned nicely and chicken is fully cooked.

Serve chicken on a warm pita with hummus, tabbouleh, hot sauce (sriracha is nice) and any other ingredients you like.

*Sumac is made from a berry that grows wild in the Mediterranean. It is dried and then crushed into a powder form. The powder is bright red/purple in colour and it has a citrus flavour. If you can't find it, just omit it, but if you can- its worth buying. You can use it in most chicken and fish dishes.