Hummus, the do-it-all dip

Hummus, the traditional Middle Eastern dish, has recently been showing up more often in American households and restaurants. In Philadelphia, a restaurant called Dizengoff has opened that dedicates its entire menu to the dip. Owner Mike Solomonov found that his other restaurant’s hummus was always a popular choice, and decided to open this new joint to serve those patrons. Hummus is often only found in restaurants. A 2013 cookbook called “Weelicious Lunches” offers parents a healthy lunch alternative for their kids with a section dedicated to hummus recipes. Hummus is such a cheap and easy dish to make that it wouldn’t be surprising to see it in many more restaurants and homes as the year continues. As a dish, hummus has been used by social media activists in an attempt to make international peace, as some online cooking school students may have noticed.

An old feud
Israel and Palestine have been locked in a feud that has sparked yet another bout of violence in the Middle East. A recent peace agreement between the countries has made some hopeful for peace, and yet, cultural differences seem at the forefront of the disagreement. Many young people around the world are hoping to inspire a little social change by reminding both sides of what they share. The campaign, called ChickPeace, is run by The Hummus Initiative, which is asking people around the world to take pictures of themselves eating hummus.

“Our movement aims to underline the commonalities between the two peoples in war instead of focusing on that which separates them,” The Hummus Initiative wrote on its Facebook page.  “Through our selfies, we seek to counterweight the countless hate messages currently invading the social space.”

The project began in England, and has taken hold of many social media circles. Though many are skeptical that the campaign can actually bring about any real peace, hummus is a fitting food for this conflict. It is unclear whether hummus was created by Israeli or Palestinian ancestors. This is what the youth are hoping to stress, that neither side owns the cultural staple, and that it should unify the groups based on the shared practice.

Dish up peace of your own
If ChickPeace has piqued your hummus cravings, try this quick recipe from Real Simple:

Blend, in a food processor, one can of chickpeas, a clove of garlic, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of tahini, 1 teaspoon of cumin and a pinch or two of salt. If the mixture looks dry, add a tablespoon or two [of what?]. Once the mixture is creamy in appearance, pour it into a bowl and serve with pita bread or carrots.

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