Hummus and Falafel: The Levantine Chickpea Preparations That Became Global and Why the Argument Over Who Invented Them Never Ends

Hummus and falafel are among the most eaten foods on earth and among the most politically contested. Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, and Egypt all assert ownership or special relationship with these dishes. The EU has not given any country exclusive protected designation. Food historians note that these preparations predate the modern borders of any of these states.

The food itself is simpler than the argument: chickpeas, cooked or raw, blended or ground, seasoned, eaten.

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Hummus (حُمُّص)

What It Actually Is

Hummus in Arabic simply means "chickpeas." The dish is properly called hummus bi tahini (chickpeas with sesame paste) or hummus ba-tahini in Hebrew. The paste form — smooth, spreadable — is what the Western world calls "hummus."

Why Canned Chickpeas Make Inferior Hummus

This is not snobbery — it is a textural reality. Canned chickpeas are already cooked to a fixed consistency; they are also usually preserved in a salty liquid that limits further cooking options. Fresh-cooked dried chickpeas:

1. Can be cooked until very soft (falling apart when pressed) — the softness produces a smoother purée
2. Release their own cooking liquid (aquafaba), which is used to thin the hummus as it blends
3. Taste more distinctly of chickpea — cleaner, less metallic

The gold standard: dried chickpeas soaked overnight and cooked until very soft (past the point of typical recipe instructions).

The Baking Soda Trick

Adding a small amount of baking soda to the soaking water and/or cooking water alkalinizes the cooking environment. In an alkaline pH, the pectin in the chickpea cell walls breaks down faster — producing softer chickpeas in less time. This is widely used in hummus restaurants.

Method: Soak 200g dried chickpeas in water with ½ teaspoon baking soda overnight. Cook in fresh water with another ½ teaspoon baking soda until very soft, 45–60 minutes.

The Tahini Ratio

Most Western hummus uses too little tahini. Levantine hummus restaurants use a high tahini ratio:

Restaurant-style ratio: 50g tahini per 100g cooked chickpeas — roughly 1:2 by weight. The result is a hummus where the tahini flavor is prominent, not just background.

Tahini quality matters: Good tahini (stone-ground from hulled sesame seeds, available at Middle Eastern grocery stores — brands: Al Wadi, Soom, Har Bracha) is smooth, pourable, and has a clean sesame flavor. Inferior tahini is gritty or bitter.

The Complete Hummus Recipe

Serves: 6–8 as a dip Time: 1 hour (plus overnight soaking)

Ingredients:

• 200g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight with ½ tsp baking soda, cooked as above until very soft
• 100g tahini (good quality)
• 2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1–2 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3–4 tablespoons cold water or chickpea cooking liquid (aquafaba)

Method:

1. While chickpeas are still warm, reserve 2–3 tablespoons cooking liquid.
2. Add tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt to a food processor. Process 1 minute until slightly lighter in color (the tahini begins to aerate).
3. Add warm chickpeas; process 2 minutes.
4. Add cooking liquid/water gradually while processing until the desired smooth, creamy consistency is reached.
5. Taste: adjust lemon and salt. Process 1 more minute for maximum smoothness.
6. Serve with a drizzle of good olive oil, a pinch of paprika or za'atar, and warm pita.

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Falafel (فلافل)

What Makes Falafel Falafel

The critical distinction: raw chickpeas, not cooked. Falafel is made from dried chickpeas that are soaked (not cooked), ground, and fried directly.

Using cooked chickpeas produces a dough that disintegrates in the oil — the cooked starch cannot hold its shape under the heat and pressure of deep-frying. Raw soaked chickpeas, ground, form a starch network that holds together during frying and produces the characteristic slightly crispy exterior and moist, crumbly interior.

The interior color: Good falafel is bright green inside from the fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro) mixed into the raw chickpea base. Gray-green interior = stale falafel or insufficient herbs.

Egyptian Falafel (Ta'ameya)

Egyptian falafel uses fava beans (ful nabed) instead of chickpeas. The taste and texture are slightly different — fava beans produce a softer, lighter interior. It is considered by many Egyptians to be the original falafel.

The Complete Falafel Recipe

Makes: 20–25 balls Time: 30 minutes (plus overnight soaking)

Ingredients:

• 250g dried chickpeas (or split fava beans for Egyptian style), soaked overnight in cold water — DO NOT cook
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• Large bunch flat-leaf parsley (leaves and tender stems)
• Large bunch fresh coriander/cilantro
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda (added just before frying — crucial for the interior bubbling)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Neutral oil for deep-frying

Method:

1. Drain and dry soaked chickpeas. They will be firm and raw — this is correct.
2. In a food processor, combine chickpeas, onion, garlic, herbs, cumin, coriander, and salt.
3. Process until finely ground but not smooth — the mixture should be crumbly, not paste-like. It should just hold together when pressed.
4. Refrigerate 30 minutes to firm.
5. Just before frying, add baking soda; mix well.
6. Form into small balls or patties (golf ball-size).
7. Deep-fry at 175°C for 3–4 minutes until deep brown. Fry in batches.
8. Drain; eat immediately — falafel hardens as it cools.

Serve in pita with hummus, tahini sauce, tomato, cucumber, pickled vegetables, and fresh parsley.

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