Hummus with Radishes and Crispy Chickpeas

The Takeaway In addition to sourcing good tahini, the secret to excellent hummus is to cook the chickpeas past the point where they’re tender, but stop before they start to completely fall apart. Then let your food processor or blender do the rest of the work—it’s impossible to over-puree the hummus. I started making hummus back in my Tabla days, and it’s since become the go-to snack in my house. My hummus is far from minimalist; I blend in some garlic confit, pickled onions, and a good amount of lemon juice. For added crunch, I set aside some of the cooked chickpeas and fry them right before I’m ready to serve the hummus. The difference between good and great hummus starts at the market: A high-quality tahini will add the fresh, nutty sesame flavor that this recipe needs. I use the Seed + Mill brand, which is made in New York City.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

In a bowl, cover the chickpeas by at least 2 inches of water (they’ll soak up more than you’d expect). Add the baking soda and 1 tablespoon salt and stir until dissolved. Let the chickpeas soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse.

Step 2

Place the soaked chickpeas in a saucepan and cover with 8 cups water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the chickpeas are very tender and starting to fall apart, 45 to 60 minutes. As they cook, give the chickpeas an occasional stir and skim off any foam or skins that come to the surface.

Step 3

Drain the chickpeas, reserving the cooking liquid. Set aside 1 cup of the drained chickpeas for frying.

Step 4

In a food processor, combine the pickled onions and garlic confit. Puree until finely chopped. Add the drained chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon salt. Puree until very smooth, thinning the hummus out with a bit of cooking liquid if needed (the hummus should be thick enough to support a radish stuck into it). Season to taste with salt. If you want an extra-smooth hummus, pass it through a tamis or fine-mesh strainer, using a rubber spatula to press it through. The hummus is best served right away, but you can cover and refrigerate it for a day or two. Let warm to room temperature before serving.

Step 5

In a small saucepan, heat 1 inch of oil to 375°F. Dry the chickpeas well with paper towels. Fry the chickpeas, stirring frequently, until they’re golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.

Step 6

Spread the hummus in the base of a platter or large shallow bowl. Sprinkle with the cumin and paprika. Sprinkle the fried chickpeas over the top, then stand the breakfast radishes in the hummus and serve.