I’ve made quite a lot of hummus and this Roasted kapia pepper hummus with a crispy scallion topping is the one I always come back to. It packs so much flavor thanks to the additional steps that truly elevate this dish. Steps such as Charring your bell pepper, frying scallions in olive oil, and sauteeing your seasoning to help them bloom leave you with an outstanding hummus.
The star of the dish is of course the charred sweet red Kapia pepper. They belong to the same family as bell peppers, but I find these Kapia peppers to have a sweeter taste while having a thinner flesh. If you couldn’t find these peppers, feel free to use a nice deep red bell pepper instead!
And for the Kapia pepper paste, (biber salcasi) which complements the charred pepper, you can find it in your local Turkish or middle eastern supermarket, or online. If you couldn’t find the pepper paste, feel free to use 1 tbsp of tomato paste instead. Using tomato paste will help the color of the hummus.
I’ve also used a teaspoon of za’atar mix in this hummus. This spice is optional so don’t worry if you don’t have it on hand. Additionally, If you do not have za’atar, you can use 1/4 tsp sumac, 1/2 tsp thyme, and 1/4 tsp sesame.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus With Crispy Scallion Topping
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours
Serving: about 3 cups of hummus
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas*
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 large sweet red kapia pepper or 1 large red bell pepper
- Bunch of scallions, about 6-8 (only the white and light green parts)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp za’tar mix (sesame, sumac, thyme) optional
- 1 tbsp sweet red pepper paste*
- ¼-⅓ cup lemon juice*
- ½ cup tahini
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 ½ tsp salt
Notes:
- You can use canned chickpeas, but cook them for an additional 30 minutes with the baking soda and optional ½ tsp cumin. For this recipe, you’ll need 2 x 15 oz cans of chickpeas.
- You can substitute the sweet red pepper paste with tomato paste.
- The amount of lemon juice depends on your preference. I recommend you start with ¼ cup lemon juice and taste. If needed add 1 tbsp at a time until you reach the desired taste.
Instructions:
1.Soak 1 cup of chickpeas overnight. The next day, cook them in salted water and a pinch of cumin (½ tsp) until tender. Once tender, remove a few tbsps of chickpeas and set aside, we will use this for garnish. Add 1 tsp of baking soda to the rest of the chickpeas and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until mushy. Drain and set aside.
2. Char the red pepper over an open flame. You could do this in the oven to reduce the mess but charring over an open flame gives you the best flavor. Once the pepper is soft and charred all around (around 5 minutes), place it on a plate and cover it with a bowl. The steam will help us when it’s time to peel.
3. For the topping, cut the dark green ends of the scallions, we only need the lighter green/white parts. Wash and slice each scallion lengthwise so that they’re thin strips. Toss them into a pan along with the olive oil. Put the pan on the stove and let the scallions slowly fry in the olive oil. This will extract all that beautiful aroma from the scallions and give us an infused oil. Once the scallions are golden and crispy, remove them from the oil.
4. In the remaining oil add your seasonings and let them bloom. After 30-40 seconds or until fragrant, add in the red pepper paste. Once the paste is well incorporated with the seasonings, around 30-40 seconds, add in the reserved chickpeas. Toss them in the mixture until they’re well coated. Turn off the heat. Remove the coated chickpeas from the pan and save the remaining mixture for the hummus. You can drizzle the chickpeas with some olive oil to prevent them from drying out.
5. Now peel the charred skin off the pepper and deseed it. Juice a lemon (you’ll need around ¼ -⅓ cup) and peel the garlic cloves. In a blender/food processor, add the tahini, lemon juice, garlic cloves, and salt, and blend. Once smooth, add in the pepper, and seasoning mixture, and blend. Finally, toss in the drained chickpeas and blend until smooth. Blending the ingredients in intervals allows for smoother hummus. If you prefer a runnier consistency, add 1-2 ice cubes or 1-2 tbsp cold water. Chill the hummus for 1 hour or for best results, overnight. Refrigerating helps all the flavors marinate together and makes a tastier hummus.
6. Now it’s time to plate. Spread the hummus on a plate, and create a well in the center with a spoon. Scoop the seasoned chickpeas in the center, garnish with the crispy scallions, top with some of the seasoned oil, and finish off with a few mint leaves.
Dig in and enjoy what is probably the best hummus you’ve ever had.
