"Hummus is the best proof that the most delicious things are the easiest to make. It can be easily prepared in a blender with just a handful of ingredients. We know hummus best as a spicy and creamy chickpea dip, served with flatbread and crudités. You'll always get it right - everyone loves it. Less well known and just as delicious, hummus is a great accompaniment to meat, especially lamb, and as a butter or mayo substitute in a sandwich.

For a really good hummus you need: 500 g dried chickpeas ¼ tsp baking powder 200 g tahini (sesame paste) 5 cloves of garlic 100 ml lemon juice, fresh

Soaking and cooking the chickpeas takes a little time, but they taste worlds better than those already cooked in a tin. To do this, soak them for at least 12 hours, preferably overnight, in a large pan with five times the amount of water. If possible, change the water from time to time. After the soaking time, drain the chickpeas and cover with at least twice as much water in a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer gently and add more water if necessary. After two hours, add the baking powder, which makes the chickpeas particularly easy to digest, and simmer for a further hour. They are cooked when they are almost falling apart but not yet cooked to a pulp. From this point onwards, things go quickly. In a blender, mix the garlic cloves with 200 ml water to a liquid paste. Pass the liquid through a sieve and discard the garlic. Drain the chickpeas and set some of them aside for later. Blend the rest to a fine puree for about 8 minutes. Add the garlic water and tahini with a teaspoon of salt and a pinch of ground cumin and the lemon juice and blend for a few more minutes. If the hummus is too thick, add a little water. Serve in a small bowl, pour over a little olive oil and top with the whole chickpeas that have been set aside. If you like, you can also sprinkle some paprika or zatar spice on top."

Tip: Use a powerful blender or food processor that can cope with the thick mixture.