In Arabic, the word “hummus” directly translates to garbanzo beans, not the delicious spread sweeping the health food craze. So, if you ever travel to the Middle East and ask for hummus they will bring you over a bag of dried beans. However, if you ask for hummus in a restaurant they will bring you the hummus spread we all know and love.
I’ve been a bit confused the past few years as hummus has gained popularity: people now are starting to refer to most spreads as “hummus.” Customers will ask for my red pepper hummus–mohamara–, or my olive hummus–olive tapenade, and even my eggplant hummus–baba ghanuj–.
I tried to explain for a while that you can’t really call something “hummus” unless there’s hummus (garbanzo bean) inside.
As the saying go, if you can not beat them join them. So, here it is my recipe for yellow beet “hummus.”
My Syrian roots are kicking me right now, but I am weak.
Take golden or yellow beet, peel them, pierce them with a fork in couple places and them place them with fresh turmeric and habanero or any pepper in water and boil them until soft and cooked.
Drain the water, discard the pepper and then mash the beets and the turmeric roots.
Add lemon zest, lemon juice, freshly grated ginger, turmeric, salt and tahini. Mix well.
Peel couple cloves of garlic, cut in halves and place in the spread.
Allow the spread to cool for few hours or over night. Remove the garlic cloves, spoon into serving bowl and serve.
- 4 medium golden beets
- 2 inch long turmeric root
- 1 habanero pepper
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 lemons
- ½ cup tahini
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- salt to taste
- Peel the beets. Pierce each beet with a fork in couple places and place in a heavy pot.
- Pierce the pepper, cut the turmeric root and place in the pot with the beets. Cover with water and bring to a boil.
- Boil until the beets are done. Add more water if you need. When the beet are cooked and soft. Remove from the heat and drain.
- Discard the peppers, and place the beets in a bowl. Mash the beets or grate them. Do the same for the turmeric root.
- Zest the lemons onto the mashed beet. Squeeze the lemon juice onto the beet. Add the rest of the ingredients except of the garlic. Mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Cut the garlic in half place into the beet hummus and cool for few hours or over night. Remove the garlic just before serving.
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