Hummus
Hummus is an amazing dish. It's cheap to make, full of protein, healthy, vegan and can be taken in all directions with the addition of different spices and herbs.
Here is the definitive basic recipe for hummus.
Serves 6
Ingredients
250g dried chickpeas
10g baking soda
2 cloves garlic, crushed
275g raw tahini
the juice of 1-1,5 lemons
1 teaspoon salt
1 sprig flat leaf parsley
selection of toasted seeds -we used equal quantities pine nuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds
olive oil
Method
Soak the chickpeas for a minimum of 12 hours in water with 5g of the baking soda. Drain off the water and bring the chickpeas to a boil with fresh water and the remaining 5g baking soda. Ensure that the chickpeas are covered with at least a 3cm layer of water. Once boiling, cover with a lid and simmer over a low heat. The chickpeas are ready when they start to fall apart, about 45 minutes but don't be alarmed if it takes double the amount of time.
Drain the chickpeas but make sure you save all the cooking water. Allow to cool slightly and blend the chickpeas in a food processor. Add the garlic, raw tahini, and the juice of 1 lemon. Blend for at least 10 minutes in the food processor. Add small amounts of the reserved cooking liquid to thin the hummus. Make sure to leave it a little thicker than the creamy puree it will eventually become.
Season with about 1 teaspoon salt and a little extra lemon if necessary. Only when the hummus is perfectly seasoned, then you can thin it down for the last time with some of the reserved cooking liquid.
If you're not going to eat the hummus immediately, store covered in the refrigerator. Taste the hummus before your serve it. It will most likely need a little extra salt and lemon juice and a touch of the cooking liquid to get the right consistency.
Smear the hummus with the rounded part of a spoon neatly on to a plate. Make crator in the middle. The trick is to hold the spoon still while your turn the plate. Garnish the hummus with parsley leaves, the toasted seeds and olive oil.
You can also garnish with cooked chickpeas, parsley and paprika powder, slow cooked pulled beef or hard cooked eggs.
Juice Brothers
On a recent trip to London, we were amazed at the number of juice bars and stores around the city. It's a hype at the moment and growing at an incredible rate.
Amsterdam has not been left behind. We discovered Juice Brothers, which opened about a month and a half ago. Situated on the van Woustraat in the Pijp district, they're all about vegan, organic, raw and cold-pressed.
Cold-pressed juices are said to be better because fruits and vegetables are shredded and hydraulically pressed, with minimal generation of heat and thus minimum oxidation. Heat kills many of the vitamins, minerals and live enzymes you think you’re getting when consuming other “healthy” juices. The cold-press method allows enzymes to stay alive, resulting in juice with maximum nutrients.
Besides offering juices made up of interesting and delicious combinations, they also offer smoothies to order, breakfasts, salads and raw food.
It's fresh, clean and minimalist interior works well, allowing their juices and smoothies to take centre stage.
We're sure that there will be more of their stores popping up soon.