Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Hummus is a Middle Eastern spread made from chickpeas or garbanzo beans, and tahini, a paste of sesame seeds. It is typically eaten with pita or other flat bread.
When I first tasted hummus a couple of years back, I disliked it instantly. Being new to the country and never having experimented with non-Indian food, I obviously needed time to get accustomed to eating pureed chickpeas. I believe that it is an acquired taste. But now, with time, I have grown to like hummus and even make my own these days.

You can buy hummus in most grocery stores, but it's so easy to make and so much more fun to make your own by experimenting with the ingredients and adjusting the flavors just the way you want it . Tahini too can be easily found in your local grocery store, but it can be made at home too. Here’s an easy way to make your own tahini. I used store-bought tahini for making this. Adding too much adds a slightly bitter taste to the hummus.

Through trial and error, I have arrived at the proportions indicated below and this has been working well for me.

Ingredients:
A can (15 oz) of chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained
2 big pieces of roasted red pepper (I used the jarred ones)
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
A big pinch or two of ground cumin
2 Tbsp tahini (sesame paste)
1Tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste.

Method:
Place all the ingredients (except the oil) in a food processor and blend well. Add the olive oil in a thin stream, with the processor running, till everything comes together to form a smooth paste. Season with salt.

Serve with toasted pita triangles.

This is my entry for the Middle Eastern edition of A.W.E.D. being hosted by Siri @ Siri's Corner.