1.5 cups of chick peas, soaked overnight
water
2 teaspoons of salt
approx 2 cloves of garlic
3/4 cup tahini
approx 1/2 cup lemon juice
pinch cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley to garnish
Drain the soaked chick peas, place in a pot and add three times their amount of water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to the boil. Boil vigorously for about 10 minutes, turn the heat down, cover the saucepan and simmer until the chick peas are very soft – approx 1 hour. Drain off liquid and reserve. Reserve 1/2 cup of the whole, cooked chick peas for garnish. Puree the remainder of the peas by pressing through a sieve or placing in a blender. Crunch the garlic with the remaining teaspoon of salt. Beat or blend it into the puree. Slowly beat in the tahini and lemon juice alternately. Blend in a little of the reserved liquid to make the mixture a thick creamy consistency. Adjust salt and lemon to taste. Serve on a platter garnished with a pinch of cayenne pepper, parsley and the reserved chick peas.