Hearty “Meat” Hummus

So there are some things that I had never before seen in my life that are just so commonplace here in Israel.  “Meat” Hummus is one of those things.  Made with ground turkey, chicken or beef my cousin Bracha served it and we all loved it.  Then my sister-in-law Devorah got the recipe from Bracha and she served it and we all loved it again.  Then we were at our friends’ Mordechai and Sara’s for Shalosh Seudos and they spoke about it and we reminisced once more about our love for this new interesting little dish.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again (and probably again) that everything is better with hummus.  And hummus is great on its own — just had a few spoonfulls while standing and staring into the fridge trying to decide what to make for lunch.  You can make your own hummus with this easy Roasted Garlic Hummus, this easier classic Hummus, and this fancy-schmancy Tri Colored Hummus.

But when this “Meat” Hummus is on the menu I can’t be bothered by making homemade hummus from scratch because that would have required planning and I itch when I plan.  I’d like to think that too much planning stifles my creative juices or at least that’s what I tell Hubby.  He certainly has another theory that I am loathe to publicize.

So thanks to Bracha I deliver you straight from the Holy Land this Hearty Hummus.  Bracha also is the one who shared her recipe for perfect light and fluffy matzah balls which are now famous and she can help you get anywhere you need to go in Beit Shemesh.  Just call her from any corner and she’ll stay on the phone and hold your hand while you drive referencing landmarks and interesting local facts along the way.  I love Bracha for her food and her friendship!

The secret to meat hummus is right here…

Turmeric and cumin: Turmeric adds a great mustard yellow color and cumin is only the new love of my life.

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Use ground turkey, chicken, or beef – can be extra lean if you like that sorta thing.

Break up the meat with the back of wooden spoon you can keep it somewhat chunky like this or break it up into little bits. I give you permission to express yourself here.

If not serving immediately keep the meat separate from the hummus in a bowl and warm it up and top the hummus just before serving. FYI you can also finely mince the onion – again permission has been granted to do your own thing.

The pretty finished product. You can also serve it in a round flat plate with the meat piled high in the middle.

Click here to see the full recipe for Chicken Hummus.

If you want to go even further try our DIY Hummus Bowls, this one is for a crowd where everyone can top their hummus as they like. 

The pretty photos are courtesy of food blogger Yosef Silver from This American Bite.  Hop on over and check out his local, seasonal, organic kosher recipes.  He’s an inspiring writer and home cook.