Hummus is a well known as a Middle Eastern chickpea dip, made traditionally with tahini, lemon juice, salt, garlic and olive oil. This recipe takes an unorthodox approach to the dip, with a perfect balance of sweet and savoury.
I first begin by cooking the beetroot in the oven so that when I do place it in the blender, it becomes a smooth and creamy consistency. Blending beetroot into the dip also give it a little oomph in colour and flavour.
Personally, I do not enjoy eating beetroot on its own, but I do know it’s a great source of folate, magnesium and iron. It’s actually a great source of many vitamins and minerals, especially if you’re a vegetarian like me! By placing beetroot in a hummus mixture, it makes it an enjoyable and healthy snack (not to mention that it looks stunning when served).
This recipe takes about 45 minutes from preparation to plate, but the steps are very easy to follow, even if you’re a beginner cook. Enjoy eating this as part of a packed lunch for work or even as a spread when you make your favourite sandwich!
Serves: 4
Prep time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1½ beetroot
- 1 tin chickpeas
- 1 fresh red chilli
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
- freshly chopped coriander, to taste
- salt, pepper and chilli powder, to taste
Method:
- Wrap the beetroot in tin foil, poke holes all over it and place in the oven at 180°C for 30 minutes to fully cook.
- Once the beetroot is fully cooked (a fork should easily slide through it), open up the foil and let the beetroot cool down.
- Cut the beetroot into 2-inch pieces that so you can easily place it in a blender.
- In a blender, place the beetroot, drained chickpeas (save the water), fresh chilli, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and coriander.
- Blend thoroughly by pulsing through. Add the chickpea water to the mixture bit by bit to help to blend.
- Season with salt, pepper and chilli powder to taste.
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