Hummus is a dish of the Levant, its name simply the Arabic word for chickpeas, and it is made and loved in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and Israel alike. The earliest written recipe for a related purée comes from a thirteenth century cookbook from Aleppo. In Israel it is an everyday staple: there are restaurants that serve almost nothing else, often closing when the day's pot runs out, and a scoop of hummus in pita is a standard school lunch. The Israeli style tends to be generous with tahini, which makes it rich, soft and pale.

The difference between a good hummus and a great one is patience rather than skill. Dried chickpeas soaked overnight and cooked with a little baking soda until they fall apart blend into something far smoother than anything from a can, and a few spoonfuls of ice water whipped in at the end turn it light and almost mousse like. It keeps well, travels well and pleases nearly everyone, which is as much as one can ask of a race day spread.

Cooking the chickpeas

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups (250 g) dried chickpeas
• 12 cups (2.8 liters) cold water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Blending the hummus

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240 g) tahini
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
• 6 to 8 tablespoons (90 to 120 ml) ice cold water

To serve

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley

More from Israel