30 Dishes Before 30 : Recipe # 2: Hummus

I've been craving hummus lately. It's one of the dishes I put on my list to learn to make before my 30th birthday and since I'm kicking off this little experiment, I decided to make a batch today. I knew it would be one of the easier dishes to make on my list. And, of course, it was. It's simple and delicious and much more fresh than what I usually buy in the grocery store.

I kind-of threw my own recipe together as far as the seasonings went, based on reading a few various recipes online and in my Moosewood cookbook. The most interesting part of the process was finding the tahini (a ground sesame seed paste), which all hummus recipes call to include.

I went to a Mid-Eastern grocery store to find the tahini. Of course, they only accepted cash. And, of course, per usual, my cash was limited so I only had a dollar and some change to pay for the $2.99 item. I offered to go to an ATM and come back, but after having spent five minutes flirting with me and teaching me a recipe for shishkabobs, the gentleman at the check out took my dollar, quarter and handful of pennies in order to pay for my item as long as I promised to come back and tell my friends about his shop. So, out I went, feeling a bit weird, but like I had gotten a good deal on my first tahini purchase.

The recipe was good, and tasted like a standard hummus. I will say, though, I absolutely need my friend Lisa's hummus recipe, which is absolutely amazing. (Much better than my first attempt.) After I get that, I'll share her recipe because it's absolutely fabulous.

Happy snacking!