From: [email-masked] (Mike W Burger)
Date: Fri, 6 Jan 1995 00:24:21 GMT

The Inner Secrets of Hawaiian Humus Manufacture

                              Required Materials

          Mixing should be in a chemically resistant stainless steel bowl or
  a  Pyrex  glass bowl.  Pyrex is recommended since it can be covered with a
  Pyrex cover, tight fitting, and used for the various  refrigeration  times
  needed to perfect the flavor.

          A spatula of the usual type with a rubber blade is  required,  but
  it  must  have an extremely heavy duty handle to survive the mixing forces
  required when the tahini is creamed with the  liquified  garbanzos.   Some
  searching  may  be  required  to  find a decent spatula that will not snap
  right in half with the first use.

          A blender is used on the garbanzos, but do not attempt to use  the
  blender with the tahini unless you have an industrial Waring Blender in at
  least the one horsepower range with a suitable stainless steel one  gallon
  heavy duty bucket.

                                 Preparation

          The proper proportions are two ounces of raw sesame tahini to  one
  large  can of (cooked) garbanzos.  About 1/2th of the liquid from the gar-
  banzo can is also used, the rest discarded.  So for the usual container of
  four  ounces  of  tahini, two large cans of garbanzos (about two cups) are
  needed.

          The garlic is added in a minimum amount  of  one  clove  of  fresh
  crushed garlic per ounce of tahini and half can of garbanzos.

          The lemon/lime is added last and completes the mixture.  It is the
  most  critical ingredient which brings it all together.  Management of the
  amount and timing of the lime juice is critical and must be done by taste.
  However  at least one quite large and juicy lime is needed for each can of
  garbanzos and two ounces of tahini.

          Locally many Hawaii houses are graced with lime trees.  This  time
  of  year they produce a yellow lime that is very thin skinned, loaded with
  seeds, but yeilds about twice as much juice as larger lemons!

                                    Begin

          First open two large cans of garbanzos, about a  cup  each.   Dump
  one  can  into the blender with all its liquid and chop, then increase the
  speed to liquify nicely.  You may add some of the lime juice at this  time
  but  not  much.   More  or less drain the other can and add it also to the
  nicely swirling creamy mixture in the blender until you have all the  gar-
  banzos reduced to thick liquid.

          You may at this time add about a tablespoon of soy sauce to fatten
  the  taste.  Also about a 1/4 teaspoon of curry powder can get a good Mid-
  dle East flavor started.  Some salt might be added, but  very  little.   A
  bit  of  white  wine might be added if needed to keep the mixture somewhat
  liquid.  A number of spices are appropriate in moderation as long as  they
  marry  well  with  the garlic and the toasted flavor of the toasted sesame
  oil and the tang of the lime juice which are the major flavor ingredients.

          Do not overdo the "making it liquid" part!  Otherwise you will end
  up  with  hopelessly  runny  humus.   This is dangerous since a government
  license for hazardous materials disposal is required  for  elimination  of
  failed humus!

          Peal and smash the garlic cloves, about four minimum,  eight  max-
  imum,  12 for definite weapons grade humus. Use a good heavy bladed carbon
  steel German knife for this and wash it carefully afterwards and  lovingly
  store it in a safe dry place, the knife that is, not the garlic.

          Put the garlic into the swirling brew in the blender.  DO NOT  add
  the  tahini!  If you do, you will end up with your blender descending into
  a low gutteral moan and then catching fire as  it  stalls  out.   You  may
  disregard  this  if  you  have the large one-horsepower industrial blender
  described above.

          Dump the raw sesame tahini into a chemically resistant mixing bowl
  and  pour  on the contents of the blender in about thirds while folding it
  together with a very strong spatula.

          When all the blender contents are folded in, it is time  to  begin
  the final preparations.

          Take your TOASTED sesame seed oil and begin adding a teaspoon at a
  time  and  folding  it  in.  After each one you should taste and meditate.
  You will be able to develop a fantastic  rounded  toasted  taste  at  this
  point  with  just the right amount of toasted sesame seed oil.  About four
  tablespoons will probably be required.

          Also begin to add the lemon/lime juice about an ounce at  a  time.
  You  will  notice  that the mixture when it contains just the blender con-
  tents and the tahini is rather dry, gritty and stiff.  It is  rather  flat
  tasting  except  for the garlic flavor.   The toasted sesame seed oil will
  round out the sesame contribution to the taste.  The mixture is raised  to
  the  right liquid consistency for spreading and finger dipping through the
  use of the lemon/lime juice.  Mystically, this also smooths out  the  mix-
  ture, eliminating all grittiness and creaming the mixture nicely.

          It is recommended that you stop short of the right amount of  lime
  juice  and  store  the mixture in the covered bowl overnight in the refri-
  gerator.  This will allow the mixture to mature.   Overnight  a  fantastic
  transformation  should  take  place as the acid lemon/lime juice works the
  flavors together and breaks up the tahini even more.  The  next  day  some
  more  lime  juice  can be folded in until the consistency and tang is just
  right.

                                   Storage

          Place most of the humus in small  plastic  containers  with  tight
  fitting  covers,  about  four ounces each, and place in the freezer.  They
  can be thawed out overnight for use the next day by placing  them  in  the
  refrigerator.  Frozen like this they keep for ever.

          The rest of the mixture should be placed in a chemically resistant
  container with a tight lid and stored in the refrigerator.

                             Serving Suggestions

          Besides just scooping it up with the fingers, there are many  ways
  to enjoy humus.

          All manner of dipping crackers and chips may be  used  but  should
  not  be  left  in  contact  with  the humus too long or they may dissolve.
  Bread sticks, toasted bread cut into strips and plain crackers are all ex-
  cellent.

          By far the BEST way (IMHO) to  enjoy  humus  is  spread  in  thick
  layers  on  sandwiches.  Almost any kind of two slices of bread with some-
  thing in it type of production can benefit from humus in a fat layer,  ex-
  cept perhaps for peanut butter and jelly plus humus sandwich which must be
  considered an "acquired" taste.

          Perhaps the very best sandwich is made from two slices  of  excel-
  lent  whole  wheat bread, both spread with a thick layer of humus and then
  slapped on either side of a generous slice of  freshly  cut,  particularly
  nutty,  Swiss cheese.  The humus and cheese sandwich has much to to recom-
  mend it.  Thanks to the garlic, it is a gift that keeps on giving.