Once you’ve tried homemade hummus, the shop-bought stuff just won’t taste the same. This recipe brings the sweetness of caramelised onions to a rich, savoury, chickpea base, while the zesty lemon finish pulls all the flavours together. I love to eat this at room temperature by the spoonful, or served with warm bread and salads. This recipe makes a big batch of around 600g, which will last at least a week in the fridge- there won’t be any left after that!

Prep: 10 minutes

Cooking: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

400g tin chickpeas in water

1 red onion, finely sliced

3 tbsp good quality tahini

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 tbsp za’atar

1 tbsp ground cumin

Lots of (extra) virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 large lemon

Generous salt and pepper

Method:

1. Tip the chickpeas and their water into a large bowl or jug, and cover with boiling water. This will create a smoother finish
2. Fry the onions in a drop of oil on a low heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and sweet
3. Drain most, but not all, of the water from the chickpeas, and add the tahini, lemon juice, salt and pepper, za’atar, cayenne, and cumin
4. Add in a good glug of olive oil and blitz with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy, adding more oil as necessary to achieve the right texture.  Add more seasoning to taste.
5. Blend in half the red onions, and season to taste again.
6. Serve sprinkled with the rest of the onions and a sprinkle of cumin or za’atar.