Who doesn’t like a good hummus? Mild, nutty, and agreeably versatile, this creamy Levantine dip is a go-to for snacks, spreads, and parties. It’s also a wonderful starting point for variations, such as carrot hummus.
Picture your favorite Middle Eastern hummus—the ubiquitous blend of chickpeas, sesame paste (tahini), olive oil, lemon, and garlic. Then, send it further west to North Africa, picking up a few more ingredients along the way, such as coriander, mint, and harissa, a fiery Moroccan chile paste. Now, add the carrots—but before you do, roast them, softening them to a blending consistency and coloring them with specks of char while coaxing out their ample natural sugars. Give it all a good blitz in a food processor until thick, creamy, and smooth. Take a taste—it will be mildly sweet, slightly nutty, a tad smoky, and bright with citrus. Scrape it into a bowl and lick the spoon, then decorate the top with a shower of chopped crunchy pistachios and fragrant cilantro. Chances are you will never go back.
