Best hummus, cheap hummus, any hummus? (Raleigh: price, stores, food)

[jessgato]

100% Agree NEOMONDE is where it's at...you can also try Sitti, a restaurant downtown raleigh owned by the same family...

Originally Posted by geekmommy

Neomonde (Raleigh off Hillsborough and RTP) and their sister restaurant, Sitti, have amazing hummus. You can also get your fix for cheap at Trader Joe's. I'm seriously addicted to their chipotle hummus.

[Mussakka]

The only hummus I really like is my own. Honestly, it's extremely simple to make and the ingredients are readily available in virtually any grocery store. There are a number of brands of tahini available, just be sure to stir any of them well since sometimes the oil will separate while sitting on the shelf.

There are a number of Middle Eastern groceries here if you want to go to a specialty market, but really everything you need can be got at an everyday grocery. I really encourage you to try making your own.

SIMPLE HUMMUS

1-2 cloves garlic
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1-2 tablespoons tahini (usually found in the "ethnic" foods aisle, often among Jewish specialties)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, or less if preferred
salt
pepper
Juice of one lemon
olive oil

Peel garlic and drop the cloves into the food processor with blade running. Mince well. Add remaining ingredients except lemon juice and olive oil, both of which you should adjust to your taste. Start by adding half the lemon juice. Turn on food processor and whizz until smooth, drizzling in olive oil (probably between 1/4 to 1/2 a cup, depending on your preference) as you go. If hummus is thicker than you prefer, drizzle in a little water while processing until you reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired, adding more lemon juice to suit your palate. Store in an airtight container, topped with a drizzle of olive oil.

Hummus is extremely forgiving and lends itself to numerous variations. You can use more or less garlic, more or less tahini, more or less lemon or olive oil. Try adding roasted peppers, pine nuts, fresh tomatoes on top, etc.

Once I made my own, I never went back to buying it.

The absolute best hummus is made using home cooked dried chickpeas, not canned, but usually convenience wins out.

[MrsRhythm]

Thanks for all the replies!

I've eaten at Neomande but before I was addicted to hummus; sounds like I have to check it out again. I didn't realize there was one on Hillsborough.. the one in Morrisville/Cary is a little too far for me these days for a regular fix.

I assume all the Mediteranean restaurants serve it. Haven't been to Tavora Agora yet but it's on the list; I know it's a popular Greek spot. I used to love going to Nikos when I worked in Morrisville years ago (they had cute waiters so that was a plus, haha).

I know The Point (Five Points Raleigh) has it as an appetizer - it's good. Didn't realize that Village Deli and Mitch's Tavern served it - good to know! I like finding it unexpectedly at places like that.

Sabra is the brand I like from the stores - still have not shopped at a Trader Joe's and I could practically walk to ours, lol - need to do that too. I'm a budget shopper these days and really need a break from Food Lion :/

Thanks again everyone, especially to those that offered suggestions besides Neomande after the first few responses, heheh.. If you know of a place that has it that hasn't been listed, I'd love to hear about it!

[MrsRhythm]

Originally Posted by Mussakka

The only hummus I really like is my own. Honestly, it's extremely simple to make and the ingredients are readily available in virtually any grocery store. There are a number of brands of tahini available, just be sure to stir any of them well since sometimes the oil will separate while sitting on the shelf.

...

Thanks for the recipe and tips Mussakka! I'm going to look for the ingredients next time I go shopping then. Awesome!

[lamishra]

I pretty much use the same recipe as posted and ut's really good, really easy and really cheap! Trader joe's hummus is cheaper than Food Lion's!

[Embla]

I agree with Mussakka. Making hummus takes about three minutes and costs almost no money. Sometimes I use a little cayenne (be careful) and I also like dried paprika. Tahini is sometimes difficult to find where I live, I've found out that it's tasteful without too.

[Mussakka]

Does anyone have a particular brand of tahini they prefer?

I'm partial to the Joyva brand, which comes in a little orange and brown can. It's probably my favorite since it's the first tahini I was ever able to find, is readily available, and has a subtle toasted flavor that several other brands don't.

A friend suggested just making my own, which is cheaper. Has anyone tried this?

[evaofnc]

I've made tahini before. It's super easy. You basically just grind up sesame seeds. But honestly the taste isn't much different from buying already made tahini and you don't really save money either.

[CrawfishGumbo]

I bought a food processor just to feed my hummus addiction. Is tahini really essential to the end result or can I proceed without? I'm having some difficulty locating that particular ingredient. I know it's sesame seeds, but I'm not sure I can grind them fine enough for the recipe.

[lamishra]

I think tahini is necessary and I have gotten it at Harris Teeter!