Healthy Hummous

There are so many flavours of hommous I have had fun experimenting with, and this a cheap, quick and quirky dip to add to an aray of starter dishes or mezze.
Simply serve for dipping with pitta chips, breads, carrot or celery sticks, etc.

Ingredients

 to make 2 small tubs
BASIC RECIPE For lemon and coriander version:

1 cup dried chick peas, soaked overnight in cold water. 

OR 1 tin of cooked chick peas, although this will give a less crunchy texture to the final product.

½ onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander or 1 tbsp dried coriander

2 tbsp lemon juice or 1 freshly squeezed lemon & finely grated rind.

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp tahini paste

2-3 tbsp plain soya yoghurt

salt and pepper

Method

Cook the chick peas in enough water until they are semi-cooked (20-25 min?)

Pre-fry the onion & coriander for a few minutes.

Place all the ingredients in a blender (not a liquidizer because the mixture will be too dry & burn it out). Blend until almost smooth, & season to taste.

Variations

The above is a classic lemon & coriander version, but you may like to add something different.

Sundried tomatoes & basil - substitue the coriander for basil and add in half a cup of sundried tomatoes, chopped finely and then pureed or stirred into the dip.

Red Pepper - simply chop a whole red pepper up and fry with the onion.

Pesto - add a heaped tbsp of either green or red pesto for this great flavour!