Sweet Beets and Savoury Chickpeas Come Together To Create A Luxurious Egyptian-Style Dipping Sauce
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The last time I took stock of my apartment, I found two fussy eaters, in addition to the husband, the furniture and fittings. And fussy eaters et al, I can honestly tell you that oven-roasted beets have now become a staple in my kitchen. But it was a journey, not without its twists and turns.
First, I had to get those two (the fussy eaters I mean) to quit eyeing my prized beets so suspiciously (they thought it looked more like a cartoon character than something one ate). Although we quickly got past that point once the beets were oiled and roasting away in the oven.
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It’s little wonder that my kids love beets. Beets are sweet with an earthy flavour that is so irresistible. They are also incredibly versatile to prepare. You can boil, grill, or even eat them raw, but to get the most out of a beet and its flavours, roast them! That’s my little secret with preparing beets. Roasting caramelises the natural sugars, which beets have a lot of, which results in seriously intense flavours. I usually roast my beets whole. Just oil ’em, salt ’em, wrap ’em in foil, pop ’em in the oven, and put your feet up.
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Oven-roasting fresh beets is the easiest and the best way to cook beets.Click To Tweet.
Chickpeas are simply awesome with an impressive nutritional profile. I especially love chickpeas in chili recipes or made into hummus. Chickpeas hummus is already delicious on its own, but blending roasted beets alongside chickpeas hummus makes this beet chickpeas hummus the perfect dip for all occasions. But don’t just take my word for it.
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| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4 people | 17 hours |
| Cook Time |
| 60 minutes |
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Sweet beets and savoury chickpeas come together to create a luxurious Egyptian-style dipping sauce, making this beets chickpeas hummus the perfect dip.
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- Soak the dried chickpeas in enough water to completely cover the chickpeas for a minimum of 17 hours.
- When ready to cook, discard the soaking liquid and transfer the chickpeas into a pan. Cover with fresh water and boil on medium heat until soft. This should take about 2 hours.
- Drain the chickpeas, ensuring you reserve the cooking liquid (aquafaba). Then peel the chickpeas, and set aside.
- Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees centigrade (fan-assisted) or 200 degrees centigrade if not fan-assisted.
- Coat the beetroot with the olive oil, ensuring the oil is well distributed over the beetroot. Sprinkle some salt and black pepper over the beet.
- Wrap beets in foil, place on a parchment sheet, and roast in the oven until cooked through, approximately 45 to 60 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, and leave to cool for 5 - 10 minutes. While the beet is still cooling, and cool enough to handle, peel the skin off, then dice the beets, and set aside.
- Add the tahini and lemon juice to a blender and blend for 2 - 3 minutes until the tahini mix looks like whipped cream. This step is vital for a creamy hummus.
- Then add the peeled chickpeas, diced beets, roasted garlic, salt, pepper and blend until smooth.
- Then add several spoons of the aquafaba and blend till you reach your desired consistency
To test the beet for done-ness, prick the beet with a fork. The fork should pierce and sink into the beet easily with no resistance.
To test the chickpeas for done-ness, take one chickpea in between your thumb and index finger. Press gently. When done, the chickpea should give easily under the light pressure from your fingers.
To roast the garlic, start with a bulb of garlic which has been cut at the top to expose the garlic inside. drizzle one teaspoon of olive oil over the bulb. Wrap in foil and bake at 200 degrees centigrade for 20 - 30 minutes until the garlic is soft, and comes out of its shell with a gentle press.
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Is this recipe right for you?
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Beets chickpeas hummus? Because dips should be luxurious and decadent…It’s the only way the ancient Egyptians would have had it..What ’s your verdict?
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Afro-fusion Food Lover.
Sustainable Food Advocate.
Completely nuts about Avocado.
