Celebrate ancient dish with Gourmet Hummus Company at South Beach Project in Mt Martha
Apparently we’ve been eating hummus all wrong. It’s a main dish that is best enjoyed warm. A Melbourne man has spent years researching the chickpea-based delicacy and is now spilling the beans.
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Hummus gets Amir Samuel’s pulse racing.
“I’m obsessed,” he said.
“It is something you can have for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or all three!”
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The Israeli-born Mount Martha man is so enamoured with chick peas that he and wife Shushana are about to launch their own business — The Gourmet Hummus Company.
The pair will serve “revamped, modern Ottoman cuisine” including bowls of warm hummus topped with a variety of pulses, meats, egg, herbs and sauces from a bespoke food truck.
Other specialities will include Sabikh — an Israeli sandwich based on a traditional Iraqi Jewish dish that comprises pita stuffed with fried eggplant and hard boiled eggs, and Sweet Cigars
“We’re having a Airstream caravan converted for us at the moment,” Ms Samuel said.
In the meantime “curious hummusapiens” can sample the cuisine at two events being held to celebrate International Hummus Day on Monday, May 13.
“The day was established in 2012 by two Californian guys to unite people around the world through their love of hummus,” Mr Samuel said.
“I think our events are the only official ones in the Southern Hemisphere,” Ms Samuel said.
The couple will host two nights (May 13 and 14) at South Beach Project, Mount Martha.
Both will have food, music and screening of Hummus! The Movie.
“The second event on Tuesday, May 14 is family friendly with activities for kids including a drumming circle,” Ms Samuel said.
Mr Samuel, who moved to Australia in 2003, has spent years researching hummus.
“It has such a fascinating history that dates back thousands of years,” Mr Samuel said.
“Some believe that it was even referenced in the Bible as part of Ruth’s story and later lost in translation.”
His research included taste tours of hummus joints across Israel during visits to family.
“On our last trip back to Israel we visited so many places to try hummus that Shushana said she couldn’t face another bowl,” Mr Samuel said.
“There are two main types of hummus — the traditional Arabic and the more modern Israeli version that experiments with different flavours.
“I think my version sit somewhere in the middle.
“It’s warm and velvety and served with different toppings such as mushroom or egg and spice sauces or herbs. It’s more like a main meal.”
Tickets for the Gourmet Hummus Launch Party are $16 with drinks at bar prices.
Bookings: trybooking