Hummus

Hummus is chickpeas blended smooth with tahini, lemon and garlic. Its full name, hummus bi tahini, means "chickpeas with tahini" — hummus is simply the Arabic word for chickpea. It is one of the foundations of the Levantine table.

What it actually is

Chickpeas are cooked until genuinely soft — often with a little bicarbonate of soda to help them break down — then blended with tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice, garlic and salt. Some kitchens add iced water while blending to make the texture lighter and paler.

It is spread into a shallow bowl with a well pressed into the middle, which is filled with good olive oil and finished with paprika or sumac, parsley and a few whole chickpeas.

How it's served

• Warm or at room temperature in the Levant — not straight from the fridge.
• With flatbread, scooped rather than cut, as part of a mezze spread.
• In its variants: musabbaha, with the chickpeas left whole, or topped with spiced minced meat or fried pine nuts.

Writing it on a menu

• Say whether it arrives warm or cold, and what topping it comes with — these are what distinguish one kitchen's hummus from another's.
• Flag sesame: tahini makes it an allergen that must be declared in the EU, and guests do not always expect it.
• It is vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free in itself — worth stating clearly, since the bread beside it is not.