Real Paleo Hummus

“Looks like hummus is back on the menu, boys!” If you didn’t know, that was a LOTR: The Two Towers reference. Yes, it’s true. I am a huge fan of LOTR. Do you know what else I am a huge fan of… hummus. I am a hummus fiend. Ever since going Paleo, I have yet to find a good substitute. Sure, there are many “Paleo Hummus” recipes out there but ,unfortunately, none of them even stand close. This week, I set out on a mission to create a Real Paleo Hummus.

Yes, a Real Paleo Hummus that not only looks like hummus, but it has the same texture and taste as hummus. I can set my dish next to the real deal, made with chickpeas and you would NOT be able to tell the difference. I stand behind that 110%. What is my secret ingredient? Let me introduce you to the lotus seed.

Lotus seeds are the nut of the lotus plant. You might be wondering how I figured out to use lotus seeds to make my Real Paleo Hummus. Thank the Mid-Autumn Festival. I can’t believe it’s that time of the year again. This time of the year, Chinese people celebrate the fall harvest with the Mid-Autumn Festival. We celebrate by feasting on mooncakes and observing the full moon. Mooncakes are conventionally made with lotus seed paste. Lotus seed, when grounded, has a very similar texture to bean paste. That is how I figure out to use lotus seeds. Get your Paleo Pita ready for some Real Paleo Hummus!

Real Paleo Hummus:

 

Base Hummus:

 

2 Cans – Canned Lotus Seed in Water³

2 Cups – Homemade Tahini

4 – Cloves of Garlic

Juice of 1 Lemon (More per preference)

½ Cup – COYO Natural Yoghurt¹

2 Tsp – Salt

¼ Cup – Kasandrinos Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbsp – Water

 

Fig Chutney:

 

8-9 – Turkish Figs (Stemmed and diced)

½ – Yellow Onion (Diced)

1 Inch – Fresh Grated Ginger

1 Tbsp – Dried Black Currants (Heaping Spoon)

1 Cup – Coconut Sugar

Zest of 1 Lemon

Juice of 2 Lemons

½ Tsp – Ground Cinnamon

½ Tsp – Ground Coriander Seeds

¾ Tsp – Fresh Dill

½ Tsp – Fresh Ground Black Pepper

 

Orange Pepper Variation:

 

1 or 2 – Large Orange Bell Pepper (Fire Roasted & Skinned)²

1 Tsp – Zaatar Spices

 

 

Garlic and Chives Variation:

 

2 Cloves – Roasted Garlic

1 Tbsp – Fresh Chopped Chives

 

Others:

 

Paleo Pita Bread Recipe

Kasandrinos Extra Virgin Olive Oil (For Drizzle)

1 Tsp – Smoked Paprika (For Dusting)

Fresh Cilantro (Finely Chopped)

Note¹: You can use COYO but if you are not dairy free, feel free to use Siggi’s Plain Skyr

Note²: Feel free to use jarred roasted red pepper for ease

Note³: If you cannot find canned, you can use dry as well. You might be able to sub with chestnuts because of the similar starchy consistency

Alright, let’s talk ingredients for a second. You cannot have hummus without one key ingredient, tahini. Honestly, it is very easy to make. If you are in a pinch, feel free to grab a bottle of store bought tahini. For homemade tahini, I like to use raw, hulled sesame seeds. Slow roast them in a skillet over medium heat. Roast them until they begin to get fragrant and traces of oil is on the pan. As soon as this happens, remove the seeds from the pan. In a food processor, blend a 4:1 ratio of roasted sesame seed to oil. I would blend the seeds by itself until it starts turning into a thick paste before adding a good EVOO. Keep blending and you have tahini. It is that simple!

The second ingredient I want to talk about for the Real Paleo hummus is the lotus seeds. Your best bet on finding lotus seed is at a well stocked Asian grocer. If you cannot find canned, you can use dried lotus seeds. It is very similar to preparing chickpeas. Soak them overnight. After soaking, boil them for about half an hour or until soft. That’s it! Let’s get started on this Real Paleo Hummus!

Fig Chutney Instructions:

 

Let’s begin by preparing the Fig Chutney for the Real Paleo Hummus. I have to say, pairing hummus with it is probably the tastiest hummus combo I’ve ever had! To start the chutney, heat a sauce pan over medium heat. Add in coconut sugar, and all spices. Once the sugar is starting to melt, add ginger, lemon juice, and rest of the ingredients. Bring everything to boil. Once bubbling, reduce it to a simmer and let it simmer until it is reduced to a thick jam. This would be about 20-30 minutes. Remove from the heat and set it aside to cool off. Once cooled, it will thicken even more.

 

Hummus Instructions:

 

To make the Real Paleo Hummus, you will need a food processor. Combine everything except for the water and start blending. If it is too thick, add a little bit of water at a time. Keep blending until you get everything smooth. I used the basic hummus with the fig chutney. The following will be the roasted orange pepper variation and the garlic and chives variation. Divide the base hummus into 3 equal portions. For the first one, we will keep it as is for the fig chutney. The second one, we will use it as the roasted orange pepper variety and the last for the garlic and chives.

For the roasted orange pepper variation, you will need roasted peppers. If you do not want to mess with roasting peppers, you can definitely get a jar from the store. I roasted mine outside in my charcoal chimney. You want to roast the peppers whole and until all the skin is charred and bubbled. After roasting, use your hand and rub off all of the skin. Stem and seed the pepper and throw it into the food processor along with the hummus. This will be your Roasted Orange Pepper Real Paleo Hummus. I like to top mine with Zaatar, fresh chopped cilantro, dust of smoked paprika and a good splash of EVOO. Zaatar is a blend of spices from the middle east. You can find it at either a middle eastern grocer or make your own. It is a blend of sumac, fresh oregano, fresh thyme, ground cumin, salt and black pepper.

For the Garlic and Chives variation, roast a few cloves of garlic. You can do this by sitting the garlic in an oven at 425°F for 10 minutes. Add the extra garlic into the hummus and blend until smooth. To serve, top it with finely diced fresh chives along with a dusting of smoked paprika. Give it a healthy drizzle of EVOO and it’s ready.

Lastly, we have the Fig Chutney with Real Paleo Hummus. The sweet, spicy chutney is a match made in heaven for the nutty hummus. If you don’t try to make the hummus, at least try this chutney with some store bought hummus. Dev and I cannot stop eating this. We had to force ourselves to be adults and put it up. Top the Real Paleo Hummus with a healthy serving of fig chutney, a pinch of fresh chopped cilantro and a nice pour of EVOO. Get your Paleo Pita’s and have your archers at the ready, because you will have to fight for this hummus! There you have it, my Real Paleo Hummus three ways and until next time, eat up my friends!

 

Home

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Instagram