Hummus and Bulgur Wheat

One of my favorite lunches. I batch-cook the hummus ahead of time and cook the bulgur fresh every day. Bulgur wheat (which is the main ingredient in Lebanese tabbouleh) is great because it cooks up in no time—let it sit in hot water for 15 minutes, and it's ready to eat.

Hardware

  • food processor (like a Cuisinart)

Ingredients

Hummus (7-ish servings)

  • 1 lb chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup sesame tahini
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • salt

Bulgur (1 serving)

  • 1/2 cup bulgur wheat
  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • salt

Topping

  • 1 Persian cucumber

Procedure

Act 1

Wash and drain the chickpeas. Soak them in plenty of water (they'll expand about 2x) overnight in the fridge.

If you don't have time for an overnight soak, you can do a quick soak in hot water: fill a pot with water to cover the chickpeas by an inch or so and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let them sit for at least an hour and a half.

Act 2

  1. Discard the soaking water and rinse the chickpeas. Throw out any that look shriveled or rotten.
  2. Cover with fresh water and bring to a boil.
  3. Reduce the heat and let the chickpeas simmer for about 50 minutes. They're done when tender all the way through.
  4. Drain the chickpeas and let them cool a bit.
  5. While you're waiting, prepare the bulgur wheat: put it in a saucepan, drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, and toast it on the stove for a minute or two. Add 1/2 cup hot water, cover, and bring to a boil. Once it boils, turn off the heat and leave covered. It will be ready to eat in 15 minutes.

  6. Put the chickpeas in the food processor. Add:

    • 1 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup olive oil
    • 1/4 cup tahini
    • juice of 1 lemon

    Blend for a couple minutes, scraping down the sides and mixing as necessary, until hummus is the desired consistency.

  7. Serve bulgur topped with hummus and cucumber.