Hummus

I love hummus as a snack. It's great with sticks of celery, cucumber or carrot for guilt-free mid-afternoon munchies.And it couldn't be simpler to make.

250g chickpeas
4 tablespoons tahini
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cummin
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
about 1/4 cup water
salt

Soak the chickpeas overnight in plenty of cold water. Next day drain and place in a large pot. Cover with water and simmer until tender. Don't salt the water.

Drain the cooked chickpeas and put in a blender, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, spices and oil and blend till smooth, adding some of the cooking liquid if necessary. Season with about 1/2 a teaspoon of salt. Refrigerate until required.

Place in a bowl, drizzle over some more oil and, if desired, sprinkle with some finely chopped parsley.