Beetroot Hummus

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Total cooking time: 40 minutes

Serves 8

Difficulty: Easy

500g (1lb) beetroot, trimmed
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
400g (13oz) can chickpeas, drained
1 tablespoon tahini
90g (3oz) plain yoghurt
3 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup (60ml/2 fl oz) lemon juice
½ cup (125ml/4 fl oz) vegetable stock

1. Scrub the beetroot well. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and cook the beetroot for 40 minutes, or until soft and cooked through. Drain and cool slightly before peeling.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 2 minutes, or until soft. Add the cumin and cook for a further 1 minute, or until fragrant.

3. Chop the beetroot and place in a food processor or blender with the onion mixture, chickpeas, tahini, yoghurt, garlic, lemon juice and stock, and process until smooth. With the motor running, add the remaining oil in a thin steady stream. Process until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Spoon the hummus into a serving bowl and serve with Turkish bread.

Nutrition per serving

Protein 5g; Fat 11.5g; Carbohydrate 12g; Dietary Fibre 4.5g; Cholesterol 1.5mg; 725kJ (175kcal)

Note

Beetroot hummus can be a great accompaniment to a main meal or is delicious as part of a meze platter with bruschetta or crusty bread. Its vivid colour sparks up any table.

Variation

You can use 500g (1lb) of any vegetable to make the hummus. Try carrot or pumpkin.