Recipe: Caramelized onion hummus

 A nice hummus is always welcome at a party.  A while back I changed the way I did it, and got such rave reviews, I just kept doing it.  The caramelized onions add a nice sweetness and mellowness, the paprika a bit of spiciness, and the lime juice is a nice switch-up from the traditional lemon.  I also caramelize the chickpeas a bit for a richer colour, then mix in black sesame seeds and kalonji at the end for contrast.  The pictures here are from a double batch I did recently of the recipe that follows.

You will need:

1 can (540ml)         chickpeas
3                             small onions, julienne
3 - 4                        cloves garlic, minced
1/4C / 60ml            tahini
1/4C / 60ml            lime juice
2tsp / 10ml             black sesame seeds
2tsp / 10ml             kalonji
1tsp / 5ml               smoked paprika
as needed               olive oil
to taste                   kosher salt
to taste                   cracked black pepper



Method:

 - julienne the onion and slowly caramelize in a large pan with olive oil
 - drain the chickpeas and mince the garlic
 - when the onions are nice and dark, remove them and set aside
 - in the same pan, start sauteing the chickpeas
 - when the chickpeas start to colour, add the garlic
 - season with salt and pepper
 - when the chickpeas have taken on some nice colour, add the paprika
 - add back the caramelized onion
 - add a generous amount of water to the pan and loosen all the flavour from the bottom
 - let the mixture simmer about 10 minutes
 - turn off the heat and mix in the tahini
 - add everything into a blender or food processor and add in the lime juice
 - puree chunky or smooth as you like it and empty into a bowl
 - lightly toast the sesame seeds and kalonji in a dry pan
 - fold the seeds into the mixture and add any final seasoning
 - let cool before serving