• Assemble all ingredients.

Soaking & Cooking Chickpeas

• Soak the chickpeas in water overnight with a spoon of baking soda.
  
• Strain and rinse the chickpeas.
  
• Cook the chickpeas in water, seasoned with salt and cover with a lid. Top up the water throughout cooking if necessary.
  
• Strain the chickpeas (reserve the cooking liquid)
  

To Make The Chickpea Hummus

• Juice the lemon.
• Slice the garlic and add to the lemon juice to marinade for 10 minutes while you get the rest of the ingredients ready.
  
• Add the tahini to a medium sized mixing bowl - add a splash of water and whisk. The tahini will get very thick - add another splash of water.
  
• Keep repeating this until you have a smooth, white creamy tahini sauce. (This is the secret to a nice creamy hummus!)
  
• Toast the cumin seed in a dry frying pan until the aromas are released.
  
• Grind the toasted cumin seeds in a spice grinder, blender or mortar and pestle. (Freshly toasted and ground cumin really makes your hummus extra special)
  
• Add the chickpeas, salt, cumin, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil to a high speed blender.
  
• Add a splash of the cooking liquid and blend (mixing throughout and scraping down the sides) until super smooth. Add a splash more cooking liquid if it's a little thick.
  
• Next, add the hummus to a mixing bowl and check the seasoning. At this stage, you may need to add more salt, cumin, olive oil or lemon. Keep tasting and adding little pinches of seasoning and splashes of lemon until the hummus shouts: WOW I'M DELICIOUS NOW!
  

To Serve

• Transfer the hummus onto a plate, smooth it with the back of a spoon. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of chili and cumin powder.
  
• Serve with crudities, toasted pitta or sourdough bread for a delicious healthy snack anytime of day!