Author Notes: This hummus can be made fairly quickly even with dried beans. I think the mild, slightly earthy flavor of the Masoor Dal (a small, salmon colored, skinned and split lentil) makes a nice base for hummus. If you don’t have smoked paprika, cumin makes a nice alternative. —hardlikearmour
Makes: about 1 & 3/4 cup
Ingredients
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1
cup masoor dal
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water
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1/2
teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
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1/2
medium clove garlic, minced
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2
tablespoons tahini
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2
tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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1 to 1 & 1/2
tablespoons fresh lemon juice
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1/8 to 1/4
teaspoons cayenne
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1/2 to 1
teaspoons smoked paprika
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optional garnishes: butternut squash seed oil or EVOO & smoked or sweet paprika
Directions
- Pick any debris from lentils, then rinse well and drain. Place lentils in 2-quart saucepan, and cover with water by about 1/2-inch. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to med-low to maintain simmer. Stir occasionally. Simmer until the lentils are mushy (about 25 to 30 minutes), adding additional water if needed. You want to have most of the water evaporated by the end of cooking, and the lentils should be falling apart. You should end up with about 1 & 1/2 cups of lentil “mash”.
- Place lentils in a small-medium sized bowl, and allow to cool. On cutting board combine salt and garlic, and use chef’s knife to smear them into a paste. Once lentils are barely warm, add remaining ingredients (other than garnishes). Purée using stick blender until creamy and well-mixed. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Transfer to serving dish and garnish with a drizzle of oil and a dusting of paprika. Serve with crudité or pita chips.