This recipe can be made completely off-grid from scratch. It contains a balanced combination of highly nutritious long shelf-life and freshly grown ingredients that don't require refrigeration. It can be cooked in a solar cooker, gas burner or even a small camp fire. It also happens to be a very tasty and affordable meal that can be put together ahead of time.
Hummus
1 cup dried chickpeas (highly nutritious off-grid food, ultra-long shelf-life when stored correctly)
2-3 tbsp tahini (often 2+ year best before date but can last well after that if stored correctly)
2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar (lemon juice substitute with long shelf-life, juice of 1 lemon preferred if available)
1/8-1/2 tsp garlic powder - to taste (fresh garlic substitute, a clove or two of fresh quality garlic preferred if available)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda/powder (optional: for dissolving skins)
Pita Bread
2-3 cups flour
1 cup warm water
1-2 tbsp yeast
1/2 tsp of sugar
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp salt
Garnish
If available, garnish with plenty of fresh coriander leaves. A fresh garden salad with a rocket or mizuna base, grated carrot, sliced cucumber and/or capsicum is great too. This can be served alongside or used to make a pita salad pocket/wrap.
Soak the dried chickpeas overnight for 10 hours. This will roughly double their size to 2 cups, which will equate to about 3 cups of cooked chickpeas.
Put pre-soaked chickpeas in a pot, cover with water, add baking soda and cook until soft.
Dissolve sugar in a bowl with the warm water, gently introduce and disperse the yeast and let sit for 15-20 mins until bubbly, then sift in the flour, add olive oil and salt, mix and kneed for 10 mins. Cover and let rise for 20 mins or so.
While waiting for these, prepare any extra ingredients for the finished hummus and the garnish.
if on-grid, also preheat the oven to 180°C.
Once the dough is raised, divide it into quarters or sixths. They will expand a little when cooked. Roll the portions flat, brush with a little oil and dust with flour, then press the dough around the edge of solar cooking chamber. Check regularly to make sure they don’t get too dry until baked. If using a gas cooker or fire, cook on a stick or cast iron skillet etc.
if on-grid put in the oven for 8-10 mins until starting to brown or fry if preferred.
Rinse the chickpeas and peel off most or all remaining skins. Dice garlic, crush with salt, then add to a standard bowl with the cooked chickpeas and mash with a spoon. Or if you have a mortar and pestle, crush garlic and salt then add chickpeas and mash until fine.
if on-grid a food processor works too.
Move to a bowl and mix in oil, vinegar/lemon and tahini. Add extra water until the desired consistency achieved (fresh beetroot juice also works). Then serve with the pita bread.
I like to add things from my garden and pantry for different flavours, nutrients and health benefits. Here are some suggestions: beetroot (powdered or fresh juiced/grated), paprika, pistachio nuts (chopped), almonds (chopped) pumpkin/kumara (pre-roasted in solar oven or fire), nut butters, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, pumpkin seeds, sumac (especially if not using lemon), ascorbic acid, pepper, chilli powder, spinach, roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes etc.
Mix options of your choice into the hummus, or just have the hummus plain and it tastes fantastic. Beetroot juice, roasted kumara with pumpkin seeds, or chopped nuts with seeds and spices are my favourites at the moment.
The warm water needs to be around 30-37°C. If it's too hot the yeast can die and you'll have to start over. Higher than optimal temperatures can also cause off-flavours. Use a thermometer or the wrist test to make sure the water temperature is right before adding the yeast.
The chickpeas usually take an hour or more to cook depending on the heat source. A bit over cooked is better than under-cooked. Once the chickpeas are cooked the skins should be mostly removed or be easy to peel if using baking soda. The hummus is smoother and creamier with fewer skins so taking 80-90% of them out for compost is preferable but that can take some time.
If food is scarce then keeping the skins in will provide extra fibre. In this case, exclude the baking soda and leave them in or remove, dry and grind them as a fibre filler for other recipes.
I use Pioneer natural spray free bakers flour for this recipe and find it's great. The pita’s are crispier than store bought and are good served both cold or warmed.
All the ingredients in this recipe are 100% vegan and do not require refrigeration. Once made, the hummus should be kept cool and eaten fresh. It can be stored for 3-5 days when sealed and refrigerated. I don't use a refrigerator and prefer to eat everything fresh for maximum health and nutrition.
Recipe inspired by:
https://www.themediterraneandish.com/homemade-pita-bread-recipe/
https://www.themediterraneandish.com/how-to-make-hummus/
