One of our favourite restaurants in Melbourne is Maha, and this is my homage to the Maha lamb hummus that they serve. Built upon my best ever hummus recipe, this recipe tops the hummus with a spicy lamb mince that's served with Za'atar flatbread.
This hummus is perfect to serve as part of a Middle Eastern inspired dinner party, or served alone as part of a small meal. The tangy & creamy hummus paired with the spicy & fruity lamb mince pair together very well with the flatbreasd.
For the best results, I suggest smoking the chickpeas. It adds an extra dimension to the hummus and completes the dish. It's still fantastic if you don't smoke the chickpeas, but if you have the means I suggest you do it.
If you don't want to make the Za'atar flatbread you can use store bought pita bread, or try my Greek pita bread which work fantastically with the hummus.
Lamb hummus ingredients
For the lamb
- Lamb mince - if you have a choice, choose 10% fat or less. In my experience though, lean lamb mince is challenging to find - you can drain excess fat before serving.
- Pine nuts - classic pairing with lamb, brings a nice crunch.
- Currants - for a fruity contrast to the nuts and spice.
- Aleppo pepper - a mild chilli powder that has a tangy flavour. It can be challenging to find, but worth seeking out for this recipe. Find it in spice shops, online (i.e. Amazon), or at larger supermarkets.
- Parsley and butter for finishing the dish.
- Flatbreads - I recommend making my Za'atar flatbread but you could also opt for a plain Greek pita. If you're not into making bread, buy a flatbread from the store that you enjoy.
For the hummus
- Chickpeas - canned is fine. Many recipes will try and tell you that you need to cook your own chickpeas, but you don't. The secret for the best result is to use chickpeas that are soft - you might need to try a few canned varieties to find the softest. Make sure you keep the liquid from the chickpea cans - it's called aquafaba and is key to getting the best taste and texture from your hummus. If you want to use dried chickpeas, read my best ever hummus recipe which has instructions for making using dried chickpeas.
- Tahini - made from sesame seeds, not all tahini is created equal. You want a tahini that is nutty and not bitter. Make sure you use hulled tahini - unhulled tahini is bitter and more coarse. Tahini will naturally separate in the jar, so stir to combine before adding to the blender.
- Garlic - be careful not to overpower, as raw garlic is very potent!
- Extra virgin olive oil - use your favourite EVOO here!
- Salt, to taste.
- Lemon - juice from a freshly squeezed lemon, or to taste.
Step-by-step guide to making lamb hummus
Flatbreads - if you're making the Za'atar flatbread or Greek pitas, make these first. Once cooked, leave them in the oven at 70C (150F) to keep them warm.
Chickpeas - if you're going to smoke the chickpeas, do so now. See instructions in the post for options on smoking them.
Pine nuts - toast the pine nuts in a skillet (1) over medium heat. Stir occasionally until golden brown (2) - be careful they don't burn.
Make hummus - add all hummus ingredients to a food processor or blender except for the reserved chickpea water. Start the processor and slowly drizzle the reserved chickpea water in, until you get a thickness you're happy with.
Continue processing the hummus until uniformly smooth and you're happy with the thickness. If you want to thin it out further and you're out of reserved chickpea water, slowly add tap water until you achieve the desired consistency. Taste and adjust with extra salt or lemon juice if required.
Cook lamb - add the lamb to a large skillet and cook over medium high until well browned, stirring occasionally to break up any large lumps. If there is a large amount of fat in the pan, tilt the pan at an angle and scoop out the excess fat or blot up with paper towels.
Add currants, butter and Aleppo pepper - with the skillet still over medium high heat, add the currants, butter and Aleppo pepper (1). Stir well and allow the butter to melt (2). Remove from the heat.
Add parsley and pine nuts - add the parsley and pine nuts (1) and stir well to combine (2).
Serve - the lamb should be served warm, as should the flatbreads. The hummus can be warmed in the microwave or served at room temperature - don't serve it chilled. Top the hummus with the lamb, and serve with flatbreads to the side.
Tips
- Lamb mince tends to be high in fat, so I suggest you drain excess fat before adding the butter. Lamb fat has a strong taste and aroma, which some people can find unpleasant.
- Using canned chickpeas will save time in soaking and cooking the chickpeas. You might need to try a few different brands to find some which are the most tender.
- Reserve the liquid from the chickpea cans. This is called aquafaba and using it noticeably improves the texture of the hummus.
- Not all tahini tastes the same - if you're not happy with the taste of your hummus, this might be why. Make sure you use hulled tahini, which has the outer husk of the sesame seed removed, making it less coarse and less bitter.
What to serve with lamb hummus
I recommend pairing the lamb hummus with my Za'atar flatbread, or alternatively you could use my Greek pita bread if you want to keep it plain.
By all means, use store bought if you're not into making bread!
You could also serve with crackers or firm vegetables like carrots and cucumber if you'd like.
How do I smoke the chickpeas?
You can smoke the chickpeas with a cold smoker, hand held appliance known as a "smoking gun" or using liquid smoke.
My favourite wood for smoking chickpeas is apple as it's mild; some alternatives are peach and cherry. Use whichever wood you prefer, but I suggest avoiding strong woods such as mesquite.
Cold smoker
If you have a cold smoker, you can smoke the cooked chickpeas for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the wood you're using. Taste the chickpeas occasionally while smoking - you don't want an overpowering smoke on them.
Smoking gun
My preferred method for smoking the chickpeas is with a "smoking gun" - Breville and others make a handheld smoker. Simply add the cooked chickpeas to a glass bowl and cover with cling wrap. Insert the smoker nozzle through the plastic (1) and allow the smoke to fill the bowl (2), remove the smoking hose, and add additional cling wrap so that the container is airtight.
Shake the bowl every few minutes to make sure that the smoke is evenly distributed and allow the chickpeas to remain in the smoke for at least 15 minutes. Repeat after this time if you feel they need more smoke.
Liquid smoke
Liquid smoke is a great alternative to using a smoker. It's easily obtainable online (i.e. from Amazon and other stores) - but use it sparingly as it's concentrated! Add a drop at a time while blending/processing the hummus until you get the taste you're after.
Want to learn more about making the best hummus?
Read my post on making the best ever hummus to learn all about making hummus!
Make ahead, reheating and freezing
The hummus and lamb can easily be made ahead. The hummus will last in the fridge for 4-5 days, the lamb will be good for 3-4 days, but make sure to take into account the expiration date on the lamb you buy.
Store the lamb and hummus separately in the fridge for best results. Reheat the lamb in a skillet over low heat, or in a microwave. The hummus should not be served hot, but can be warmed through in the microwave at low power, or served at room temperature.
The lamb mince freezes well and will last in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
The hummus texture does suffer with freezing, but it's preferable to discarding if you have leftovers. Freeze the hummus in an airtight container for up to 3 months and allow to thaw in the fridge. Stir well before serving to make the texture homogenous.
Vegetarian option
I've had a few requests to make this vegetarian. Here are some options for how you might adapt this to suit vegetarians:
- Diced mushrooms (optionally combine with cooked grains) - I did this for a friend who is vegetarian - I used 500g of mushrooms and around 100g of cooked freekeh.
- Use a plant-based mince substitute
- Use grains, such as lentils, freekeh, bulgur, etc.
Add your own touch
- I've opted for a simple spice with the lamb, but you could try using a mixture of cumin, coriander, turmeric and cinnamon powder.
- Change up the parsley for coriander leaves/cilantro or dill.
Spiced Lamb Hummus
| Prep | Cook | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 10 mins | 20 mins | 30 mins |
- 400g can of chickpeas, drained reserve the water in the can, known as *aquafaba*, and a few chickpeas for garnish. See notes for instructions on usi
- 1 garlic clove if it's large, only use half
- 4 tbsp hulled tahini mix well before use, see note 3
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- 3/4 tsp salt or to taste
- Sumac, to garnish optional
- 250g lamb mince
- 25g pine nuts approx. 2 tbsp
- 1 tbsp Aleppo pepper aka pul biber, see note 4
- 1 tbsp butter approx. 15g
- 1 tbsp currants
- 1 1/2 tbsp parsley, finely sliced (5g)
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- Za'atar flatbreads or
- Greek-style pita bread or
- Store bought pita or flatbreads
Flatbreads - if you're making the za'atar flatbreads or Greek style pita bread, make the bread before the hummus. Once cooked, leave them in the oven at 70C (150F) to keep them warm.
Chickpeas - if you're going to smoke the chickpeas, do so now. See smoking the chickpeas below.
Pine nuts - toast the pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat. Stir occasionally until golden brown - be careful they don't burn.
Make hummus - add all hummus ingredients to a food processor or blender except for the reserved chickpea water. Start the processor and slowly drizzle the reserved chickpea water in, until you get a thickness you're happy with.
Continue processing the hummus until uniformly smooth and you're happy with the thickness. If you want to thin it out further and you're out of reserved chickpea water, slowly add tap water until you achieve the desired consistency. Taste and adjust with extra salt or lemon juice if required.
Cook lamb - add the lamb to a large skillet and cook over medium high until well browned, stirring occasionally to break up any large lumps. If there is a large amount of fat in the pan, tilt the pan at an angle and scoop out the excess fat or blot up with paper towels.
Add currants, butter and Aleppo pepper - with the skillet still over medium high heat, add the currants, butter and Aleppo pepper. Stir well and allow the butter to melt. Remove from the heat.
Add parsley and pine nuts - add the parsley and pine nuts and stir well to combine.
Serve - the lamb should be served warm, as should the flatbreads. The hummus can be warmed in the microwave or served at room temperature - don't serve it chilled. Top the hummus with the lamb, and serve with flatbreads to the side.
Smoking the chickpeas
For the best results, I recommend smoking the chickpeas for the hummus if you're able to do so.
Cold smoker
If you have a cold smoker, you can smoke the cooked chickpeas for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the wood you're using. Taste the chickpeas occasionally while smoking - you don't want an overpowering smoke on them.
Smoking gun
My preferred method for smoking the chickpeas is with a "smoking gun" - Breville and others make a handheld smoker. Simply add the cooked chickpeas to a glass bowl and cover with cling wrap. Insert the smoker nozzle through the plastic and allow the smoke to fill the bowl, remove the smoking hose, and add additional cling wrap so that the container is airtight.
Shake the bowl every few minutes to make sure that the smoke is evenly distributed and allow the chickpeas to remain in the smoke for at least 15 minutes. Repeat after this time if you feel they need more smoke.
Liquid smoke
Liquid smoke is a great alternative to using a smoker. It's easily obtainable online (i.e. from Amazon and other stores) - but use it sparingly as it's concentrated! Add a drop at a time while blending/processing the hummus until you get the taste you're after.
- Chickpeas - the liquid in the chickpea can is known as aquafaba and is the key for the best hummus. Reserve it when you drain the cans for thinning the hummus out. For the best hummus, you want soft chickpeas, so it can pay to try different brands of canned chickpeas to find the softest ones.
- Using dried chickpeas - you need around 250g of cooked chickpeas, so cook at least 100g of dried chickpeas. Soak for 8-12 hours, discard the water, add to a pot and cover with water. For the softest chickpeas, add 1/2 tsp of bicarb/baking soda. Simmer for about 45 minutes until very tender - top off water as required to make sure the pot doesn't boil dry.
- Tahini - use hulled tahini, and make sure to stir/shake/mix well before use. Tahini will split while sitting - you need to combine before using.
- Aleppo pepper is a mild chilli powder that has a tangy flavour, which is also known as pul biber. It can be challenging to find, but worth seeking out for this recipe. Find it in spice shops, online (i.e. Amazon), or at larger supermarkets.
- Hummus - the hummus recipe used here is based on my best ever hummus. It's full of hints to make the best hummus and includes instructions on using chickpeas.
- Flatbreads - my intent with this recipe is that the lamb hummus is served with my za'atar flatbreads, but it works equally well with my Greek style pita bread. If you don't want to make bread, use your favourite store-bought flatbread or pitas.
