Arab Americans in Michigan

Appendix 1: A Gift from the Hassoun Family to the People of Michigan

63 Appendix 1 A Gift from the Hassoun Family to the People of Michigan A Family Recipe for Making Genuine Hummus Bit Tahini, taken from The ABC’s of Middle Eastern Cooking, by George P. and L. Louise Hassoun (Camas, Wash.: Bellgraphics, 1989). Garbanzo (Chick Pea) Dip (Hummus Bit Tahini) 1½ cups dried chick peas pinch of bicarbonate 4 Tbsp. parsley 3 cloves (sections) of garlic mashed together with 1 tsp. salt.½ cup lemon juice½ cup tahini (from health food or Arabic store) 4 Tbsp. olive oil paprika Clean and wash chick peas in a colander under cold running water. Cover with water to spare. Add a pinch of bicarbonate and let soak for twelve hours. Drain and place peas in a heavy pan. Cover again with water. Bring to boil on high heat, then lower the setting and let simmer until the peas are soft and mash readily between your fingers. Strain the peas, reserving a cup of liquid. (Two 16-oz. cans of cooked garbanzo beans could be used in lieu of the dried chick peas; boil until tender before using, approximately twenty minutes.) Chop the parsley finely and combine the other ingredients except the olive oil and paprika in a food processor until mashed into a thin paste. If too dry, add up to one cup of the reserved liquid until the mixture has the consistency of a thin peanut butter. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the chopped parsley. Spread on a flat platter, and clean and raise the edge all around. Sprinkle remaining parsley on top. Decorate with a dash of paprika, then pour the oil on top (advice from the author: go easy on the oil if you are watching calories ). Serve with Arabic pocket bread, pickles, green onions, and olives. Variations: Ground lamb (seasoned with Allspice, black pepper, and salt or Arabic five spice mixtures) and pine nuts sautéed in butter may be poured over the top in lieu of olive oil. Enjoy! Rosina J. Hassoun 64 ...