Hummus - the secret!

Every time I tried to make hummus, it never met my expectations. So I plugged into The Google and came up with some very simple advice that really works! It's not the ingredients so much as the process that give you the perfect consistency. So here is my new recipe for amazing hummus!

Hummus
2 cans chickpeas

1/4 c lemon juice*
1/2 c tahini*
1/4 c water
1 1/2t extra virgin olive oil
1t garlic

*These ingredients are tricky, because they make the taste of the hummus. Fresh lemon juice is best, but bottled is fine in a pinch. The tahini is also super important - some tahini is better than others, but the best advice I can give is to try several brands until you find one you like.

Directions:

1) Drain and rinse the two cans of chickpeas. Put them in a microwave-safe container (you could also do this on the stove) and cover them with water.
2) Microwave the chickpeas for 3 minutes, until they're nice and hot.
3) Drain the chickpeas again. Put them back in the same container, this time with ice water. Let them sit for a few minutes.
4) While watching TV or listening to music, even better if you have a friend to help, carefully pinch the skins of each chickpea. It's a pain in the but, but totally worth it for smooth, delicious hummus.
5) In a  decent blender or food processor, blend the tahini, lemon juice, and water until they form a tahini cream. This is the key - the difference between hummus and chickpea mash is that you make a tahini cream and add the chickpeas to that, not adding tahini to mashed chickpeas.
6) Add the olive oil to the tahini cream and blend to mix.
7) Add the chickpeas one small handful at a time until you get the right taste, adding water if the hummus is too thick. The hummus should be pale, not yellow (unless you like more chickpeas, in which case go for it!)
8) Blend in the garlic. Keep blending the hummus, adding water if needed, for several minutes in order to get the perfect, smooth consistency.
9) I'd recommend refrigerating the hummus overnight, but knowing how addictive it is, you may end up digging in. You may want to mix in extra flavorings, such as roasted garlic or roasted red pepper, but plain hummus is also amazing.