Hummus Balila Recipe for Creamy Warm Chickpeas Spiced with Cumin

5 from 1 vote

Hummus Balila Recipe for Creamy Warm Chickpeas Spiced with Cumin

This hummus balila recipe makes a dish of creamy warm chickpeas gently spiced with ground cumin, drizzled with a dressing of extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, and served with pita bread, pickles, fresh herbs, and salad. Simply known as ‘balila’, the Levantine dish has long been a popular breakfast or snack everywhere from Lebanon and Syria to the Arabian Peninsula countries.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Arabic, Lebanese, Middle Eastern, Syrian

Servings:

Calories: 208kcal

Author: Lara Dunston

Equipment

Mortar and Pestle

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves
2 tins chickpeas
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
½ lemon , juice only
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

To Serve

lemon wedges

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

In a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic cloves until almost at a paste-like consistency.
In a medium-sized pot over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and fry the garlic for 30 seconds or so until fragrant.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, pour the canned chickpeas and brine into the pot, add the salt and ground cumin and stir to combine, add a little water if needed to ensure the chickpeas are completely covered.
Cook for 45 minutes or so until the chickpeas have softened, adding water and stirring as needed. At around 30 minutes, use a fork or potato masher to mash around a quarter of the chickpeas; taste, and season with more salt or cumin if you like.
Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl, combine the juice of half a lemon and extra virgin olive oil, drizzle on top, sprinkle on a little more ground cumin, and serve immediately while still warm.
Serve at the centre of the table with small bowls and spoons or distribute between bowls, alongside dishes of diced tomatoes and cucumbers and fresh herbs such as mint and parsley to garnish, lemon wedges and extra virgin olive, radishes, olives and pickles, and slices of pita bread to scoop up the balila.

Nutrition