Weekly Recipe: Chocolate Hummus by Chef Loay Alhindi

The weather is warming, and picnic-friendly foods will soon take over our fridges and pantries. Next time you need a sweet fix, try this classic snack with a twist.

Chef Loay Alhindi, executive chef of San Francisco's SAJJ Mediterranean, a concept eatery known for fresh, customizable plates with a commitment to food transparency and whole, locally-sourced ingredients. He developed a chocolate hummus recipe in honor of the Mediterranean and Levant country traditions of making a sweet mix of beans and nuts when a child is born.

“Blending that mix of beans will give you a product with a very similar texture to the hummus but with a sweet flavor profile,” he says. “At SAJJ, we wanted to recognize that tradition and were inspired to create something similar by using hummus as the main ingredient (garbanzo and tahini) and adding chocolate to sweeten it. It was then that our Chocolate Hummus recipe was born."

See also: Weekly Recipe: Croque Madame by Nice Matin's Chef Eric Starkman

Chef Loay’s recipe features classic ingredients of garbanzo beans and tahini. With some cocoa powder and chocolate hazelnut spread, the savory dip quickly becomes a sweet favorite. Topped with finely-chopped pistachios, this delectable recipe has the perfect ratio of sweet to savory and creamy to crunchy.

“Everyone loves chocolate and everyone loves hummus," Chef Loay says. "Why not make a product [that] contains both of them?”

When making chocolate hummus for the first time, Chef Loay encourages us to “forget about the ordinary savory taste of regular Hummus and focus on creating a sweet nutty flavor.” Lean into the sweetness, pair it with cinnamon chips, and you’ll get the ultimate sweet and nutty treat.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. cooked garbanzo beans
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup chocolate hazelnut spread/ nut butter
• 2 tbsp. maple syrup
• 2 tbsp. pistachios, shelled and finely chopped

Preparation

1. Blend garbanzo beans and tahini in a blender or food processor.
2. Add chocolate hazelnut spread, cocoa powder and maple syrup, and blend until very smooth.
3. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.
4. Garnish with finely chopped pistachios and serve with cinnamon pita chips.

In case you want to try Chef Loay’s own chocolate hummus, you can visit one of SAJJ Mediterrenean’s nine locations in the Bay Area and can keep up with SAJJ via Instagram.