Mom's Roasted Chili Pepper Hummus

My mom almost ran out of time to make her hummus but I did not let her leave without making it. This time she used a roasted chili pepper but blended with the chickpeas the hummus was not spicy just flavorful.

Mom's Roasted Chili Pepper Hummus
Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 cup dry chickpeas
1 small chili pepper
1 clove garlic
1/8 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup tahini
salt
red pepper flakes

Soak the chickpeas over night. Change the water, salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook until soft (about an hour) Or use unsoaked chickpeas. Pour boiling water over the chickpeas. Leave for an hour, change the water, salt and cook over a low heat until soft (1h+).
Once soft strain the chickpeas but reserve the cooking water.

Roast the chili pepper by hold it with a fork over a gas burner on high heat. Slowly rotate the pepper until the skin is blackened. Allow to cool, peel skin and remove seeds.

In a food processor place the chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, roasted chili pepper, and tahini. Add 1/8 cup of chickpeas cooking liquid. Process. Check consistancy often. Add liquid 1/8 cup at a time, until the hummus is creamy. Season with salt.

To serve, spread hummus on a large plate, top with a few reserved chickpeas and swirl with 1 tsp olive oil. Sprinkle with red peer flacks.

Mango Mint Salad

My mom has been visiting me over the past few weeks. We both had planned on cooking and eating great food while she is here but the lure of sightseeing was too great. My mom did make this lovely Mango Mint Salad to go with the chicken curry I made a few nights ago.

Mango Mint Salad
Serves 6
1 large ripe mango
1/2 English cucumber
1/2 red onion
1 orange
1/2 lime
2 Tbs mint
1 Tbs coriander
1 Tbs chives
1/4 tsp mango powder (Amchoor Powder)
1/2 tsp ground coriander seed
1 tsp of ground cumin seed
Salt, Pepper and hot red pepper flakes

Peel and slice mango into long strips. Slice cucumber into strips. Finely slice the red onion into crescents. Zest the orange, peel and slice. Zest the lime and juice half. Chop the herbs. Mix everything and add the spices and salt and pepper.

I would have used tons more hot pepper, but my mom wanted to make something cooling to go with the spicy curry.