This fortnight the Bulk Buyers group has sesame seeds and chickpeas on the list. These aren’t exactly local, they can’t be grown in the UK, but they are very nutritious and efficient to transport. And once here, we can use them to make our own hummus, using our own homemade tahini. Tahini is also great in salad dressings, on porridge, on a sandwich… it’s just great! Hummus is amazing with the celery that is still coming from the polytunnels!

Tahini is a seed butter…. sesame seed butter. You can follow the directions for nut  & seed butter. We added nothing extra to our tahini and you don’t have to roast the seeds first if you prefer a raw version.

And here is a great Hummus recipe we like to use…

1/2 kg dried chick peas, soaked overnight
1 cup tahini
3/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
6 -8 garlic cloves, peeled
1 -2 tablespoon salt, to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

1) Bring chickpeas to boiling then simmer about 1/2 hour until tender. (Frank prefers to sprout the chickpeas instead of cooking them, for a super nutritious hummus. More about sprouting to come).
2) Drain chickpeas, reserving liquid. Let stand until cool enough to handle. (Using warm to hot chickpeas makes it possible to process a softer texture that will then stiffen to a nice, spreadable paste).
3) Process in blender or food processor in 2-3 batches according to the size/capability of your equipment. Use enough of the chickpea cooking liquid to get a texture like soft peanut butter.
4) Mix the batches together in a large bowl.
5) Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. (If you need more garlic return a half batch to the blender, process it smooth, and stir back into the rest).
6) Pack in freezer containers of an appropriate size for your household.

Simple as that! Enjoy!