Chickpea yoghurt dip with homemade tahini (or, not-hummus hummus)

I am a big fan of choices, having lots and lots of options. I like looking at a problem and seeing that there are 10 or 60 or 1000 ways to solve it. I think that's why I enjoy studying public policy and also why I have problems with indecision about everyday things (e.g. which movie to watch, how to do my hair, what dog food Buster should eat). My love of seeing many paths also makes it difficult for me to commit to just one thing, to have just one option forever. Thankfully, this tendency to be indecisive doesn't extend to important decisions, like where to go to grad school or which dog to rescue from the shelter.

This guy. I mean, who wouldn't take this little dog home to rip up your paper products and love you forever?

That seems pretty heavy, right, but what I really wanted this post to be about is the fact that I have 36 different condiments in my fridge right now, and I think that is too damn many. That is an unacceptable number of options. Did you know the shelves on your fridge door could hold that many bottles? From Mom's kimchi to raspberry jam to hoisin sauce to olive tapenade, I have a real problem saying no to pickled and preserved things.

One of the many condiments I think I can replicate in smaller quantities so that
I don't have to have a jar sitting around all the time. My previous roommate got me
into this spread. It's sweet and salty and garlicky. It also pairs really well with this dip.

Silky, not-hummus hummus. The key is to skin the chickpeas.

I am making an effort this year to weed out all of these condiments and to learn how to make my own. This will cut down on waste and will free up some fridge space so that it doesn't resemble a hoarder's fridge anymore.

This dip was the first step toward cutting down on products in the fridge. I made my own tahini instead of purchasing it in the vats the grocers love to sell them in. Tahini is an essential ingredient in hummus and I didn't realize how easy it is to make until now. All you have to do is toast sesame seeds on the stove top and grind them with a little olive oil. It's that simple.

Since I have no process photos, I'll leave you with one last photo of what it looks like at the end and then move straight to the recipe.

Chickpea yoghurt dip with homemade tahini
(makes about 1 pint)
Inspired by Bon Appetit

Ingredients

For the tahini
1 cup sesame seeds
3 tbsp olive oil

For the dip
30 oz canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or be better than me and use dried chickpeas that you've rehydrated and cooked)
1 cup (8oz) plain whole milk Greek yoghurt
1 tsp cumin
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of one lemon
2 tsp salt

To accompany the dip
red peppers, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, tortilla chips, pita chips, pretzel chips

Start by making your tahini. Toast sesame seeds in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat for about ten minutes. Watch sesame seeds carefully, because they go from perfect golden brown to fire-starting black in a blink. When seeds are browned, put them in a food processor and grind with a few tablespoons of olive oil until it resembles a paste or nut butter.

When that's done (and if you have the time) skin the chickpeas. I had canned chickpeas lying around, so that's what I used. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, pinching as many of the skins off of the beans as your patience will allow. Place chickpeas and the rest of the ingredients in the processor with the tahini and mix until you've reached your desired texture. Add more olive oil or a little water for thinner dip. Taste it and mix in a little more salt if you want.

Serve with crudites (raw veggies) and chips of the tortilla, pita, or pretzel variety. It also makes a good sandwich spread and salad mix-in.