If you took a poll, I’m willing to bet you’d find that the majority of Montanans are not aware of an agricultural niche in which our state leads the country. Ready? Big Sky Country is the No. 1 American producer of chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) and lentils. Many of us probably don’t know that, because Montana’s ag producers ship nearly all of them overseas. 

I’ll admit it: I didn’t eat either when I was growing up in Montana. To me, chickpeas were the beige spheres in the salad bar that I never put on my salad. Never. Maybe a lentil snuck its way into some kind of soup I once slurped, but they were certainly never in our pantry. 

To be #1 in the country means something to the state economy, and maybe it’s time it starts meaning something in Montana kitchens, too. A few years ago, I made it a New Year’s resolution to learn more about these protein-packed pulse crops. 

One pulse-forward dish that’s been popularized relatively recently is hummus, a creamy dip with Middle Eastern origins. “Hummus” is actually an Arabic word that means “chickpeas,” so anything that’s trying to pass itself off as hummus without that key ingredient is just a wannabe. 

The essentials of hummus are few: chickpeas, tahini, lemon, garlic, ice water and seasoning. This basic recipe is all you need, but the results can also serve as a blank canvas on which to explore new flavors and combinations with the addition of herbs, special spice blends, roasted veggies or avocados. These optional ingredients give you a chance to customize your hummus to hit your tastebuds just right. 

You can now often find a whole refrigerator section devoted to hummus at your local grocery store. If you’re a frequent flyer in that section of the store, consider saving some money and making your hummus from scratch. You can make loads of it for much cheaper, take advantage of homegrown local ingredients, and adjust the final product to fit your own preferences. 

There are plenty of recipes that start with canned chickpeas. While that route may earn points for ease, the final outcome is far from ideal, as chickpea peels are the enemy of a smooth and creamy hummus. This recipe takes a bit of time, but your friends will be dying to know your secrets when they taste it. Master this basic version, and then you can always email me with questions about how to branch out in the flavor and color categories. 

Let your dry chickpeas soak overnight in plenty of water. The next day they will be close to triple their original size. Drain the water off and put the chickpeas in a large saucepan with the baking soda on high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook them for a few minutes, stirring continuously. Add plenty of water (8-10 cups) and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. The chickpeas will need to simmer for approximately 25-30 minutes, with intermittent stirring. 

Foam and chickpea peels will float to the top, where you can skim them off. After 25 minutes, check to see if the chickpeas are done. They should be soft to the bite, but not mushy. 

Using the saucepan lid as a strainer, drain the hot water out of the pan. Refill the pan with cold water, stirring as the pan fills. This will bring some more peels to the top. Tip the pan gradually to drain the water and let the peels run off into your sink. The chickpeas should stay at the bottom of the pan. Repeat this process several times (fill, stir, pour off) until you see very few peels coming off. Once you have reached this point, drain all the water off and place the chickpeas into a food processor. 

Run the food processor for about a minute, turning the chickpeas to paste. Add your chopped fresh garlic, tahini, lemon juice, salt and cumin. Run the food processor again for a minute to let the ingredients incorporate. Make sure to scrape the sides of the food processor with a spatula to allow all the ingredients to reach the same consistency. 

Using the port at the top, slowly stream in the ice water as the food processor runs to bring the paste to a smooth consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your preference with lemon, salt, cumin and garlic. 

For serving, top with a drizzle of olive oil, more lemon juice, fresh parsley, and a dash of paprika. Serve with loads of fresh veggies, pita, rice crackers, or whatever you like to dip with. 

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