What’s the reason behind India’s love for hummus?

From staple ingredients to whip up the dip, ease of recipe to versatility of use–here’s why chefs and kitchen novices love hummus alike

The hummus can single-handedly be credited for introducing a lot of us to Middle Eastern cuisine and therefore, its popularity today is of no surprise. From dips to condiments to having its own flavour profile, the hummus is everybody’s best friend. The fact that it is easy to make has also helped the hummus curry favour with chefs and kitchen novices alike. Since then, the humble hummus has seen multiple iterations in many hands. But what is it about the hummus that makes it so well-loved?

Behind the popularity

“One of the main reasons would be the familiarity of the hummus’ creamy, dip-like texture and the rich umami flavour profile that Indians love. Its popularity can also be credited to ingredients like chickpeas (chhole), garlic and lime, which are staple ingredients in Indian kitchens,” says Hussain Shahzad, executive chef at The Bombay Canteen and O Pedro. The fact that India is the top producer of chickpeas in the world has only helped the popularity of the hummus. “Indians have been consuming chickpeas in several varieties and ways, ranging from spicy black kadale in the south to rich, tangy chhole in the north, for decades together,” adds chef Beena Noronha, sous chef at Sette Mara, the Middle Eastern lounge, bar & kitchen at The St. Regis Mumbai.

As Urvika Kanoi, chef and owner of Cafe Duco in Mumbai and The Daily in Kolkata, says, “You can measure the demand of hummus by seeing how roadside stalls, small cafes and even high-end fine-dining restaurants are offering it on their menu. This goes to show how popular the hummus really is.” But despite its versatility and flavour profile, hummus is something that is super convenient to make in everybody’s kitchen.

Meanwhile, Mediterranean restaurant Souk at the Taj Bengal is one of India’s oldest fine-dining outlets catering exclusively to the regional cuisine since it opened in 2009. “At Souk, we introduced different varieties of hummus and we promoted them as starters with pita bread and other crispies,” says Nitin Mathur, executive chef, Taj Bengal. Despite the restaurant having established when hummus was relatively new to the Indian palate, items such as the Hummus Beiruti, with truffle or with crispy lamb and Hummus bil Lahm became popular with time, even as Souk became the go-to for many celebrity names, including cricketer Virat Kohli.

Authenticity of flavour

While authenticity is subjective, the main framework of any recipe remains relatively intact and to achieve a desirable flavour in your hummus, tahini (a creamy paste made from hulled sesame seeds) seems to be the hero ingredient. Things such as the temperature of the chickpeas and even the garlic matter, points out Arun Dsouza, executive chef at Perch. “[What’s] most important is handling the tahini correctly. It has to be beaten until it gets a beautiful shade of white,” he adds.

However, at fine-dine restaurants such as Souk and Sette Mara, the emphasis is on authenticity, with the star hotels having a wider network to source their ingredients from. “Apart from the OG hummus recipe, we offer zesty Roasted Corn and Jalapeño Hummus, Hummus Phoenicia with avocado, capers and za’atar, Root Vegetable and Chickpea Hummus for the healthy grazers and Hummus Bin Dijaj, which incorporates minced chicken and the freshness of mint,” explains Noronha.

Meanwhile, Shahzad lays importance on the quality of the chickpeas and olive oil, and so does Kanoi. “We have to understand that the quality of the tahini and olive oil are different in India than in other places and these things dictate the flavour. The hummus in India cannot taste exactly like the ones in the Middle East, even if we follow the same recipe because the quality of the ingredients may not match,” shares Kanoi.

Experimentation with the Indian palate

This has led to the scope for experimentation amongst Indian chefs as the versatility of the hummus has also made it adaptable to various dishes across cuisines. Take, for example, Shahzad’s experimentation at O Pedro with the Smoked Eggplant Hummus flavoured with burnt chilies, mustard and toddy vinegar; and the Smoked Pumpkin Launji with red winter pumpkin at The Bombay Canteen. “For our winter menu, we decided to recreate that dynamic sweet-and-sour punch of the launji in the form of a creamy hummus. Made with smoked red pumpkin, this hummus is finished off with mustard oil, topped with charred ponkh dressed in a chunky Kashmiri chilli crisp made with all the seeds that would go into a traditional launji. It is served with a flaxseed khakhra,” Shahzad explains. Meanwhile at Perch, a roasted pumpkin hummus is used as a thickener and for added flavour in their vegan risotto, while a slow-roasted beet and thyme hummus finds its way to their Med Bowl.

But if you are keen on your easy-to-make-and-easy-to-eat love for hummus, you can always stay loyal to your favourite recipe of churning some up. Stick to the basic ingredients–chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt and a food processor. And voila! You will have a dip, a condiment, a flavouring agent, a thickener or any other avatar that you would want to enjoy your hummus in.

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