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Balila, Hummus Balila Recipe

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3.9 from 9 reviews

Balila is a traditional Middle Eastern dish featuring tender chickpeas cooked to perfection and seasoned with garlic, lemon juice, and cumin. This rustic, chunky hummus-style dish is beautifully garnished with toasted pine nuts and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. It's a comforting, protein-rich appetizer or side served best with Arabic bread and pickles.

  • Total Time: 12 hours 40 minutes
  • Yield: 5 servings

Ingredients

Chickpeas and Cooking

  • 2 cups dried chickpeas
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda (divided between soaking and cooking)
  • Water (for soaking and cooking)

Seasonings

  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder

Garnish

  • Extra virgin olive oil (to drizzle upon serving)
  • Pine nuts (toasted in sunflower oil or dry toasted)

To Serve

  • Onion rings
  • Mint leaves
  • Pickles
  • Arabic bread

Instructions

  1. Soaking Chickpeas: In a large bowl, cover the dried chickpeas with twice their volume of cold water, then add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. Leave them to soak overnight on your kitchen bench to fully rehydrate.
  2. Preparing to Cook: Drain the soaking water and place the chickpeas into a large pot. Cover with 1 1/2 liters (6 cups) of fresh water.
  3. Boiling and Simmering: Bring the pot to a boil, skim off the scum that rises to the surface, then add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. As scum forms again, remove it once more. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook until the chickpeas are very soft and easily mashed—this usually takes 1 to 2 hours. Add hot water if needed to keep the chickpeas submerged.
  4. Preparing Garlic and Lemon: Crush the garlic cloves into a smooth paste and squeeze the fresh lemon juice.
  5. Toasting Pine Nuts: In a skillet, toast pine nuts with a small amount of sunflower oil or dry-toast them until golden and fragrant. Set aside.
  6. Mixing Flavor Base: Combine the crushed garlic, lemon juice, and cumin powder in a bowl.
  7. Combining Chickpeas and Flavor Base: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked chickpeas to the bowl with the garlic-lemon-cumin mixture, adding about 1/3 cup of chickpea broth for moisture.
  8. Mashing: Roughly mash the chickpeas with a masher to retain a chunky, rustic texture. Season with salt to taste and adjust if needed.
  9. Serving: Transfer the balila to a serving bowl, sprinkle the toasted pine nuts on top, and drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil. Serve accompanied by onion rings, mint leaves, pickles, and warm Arabic bread.

Notes

  • Older chickpeas may require longer cooking time to become tender.
  • Ensure to skim the scum multiple times during boiling for a cleaner taste and better texture.
  • The rustic texture is intentional—avoid over-mashing to keep the dish authentic.
  • Use fresh lemon juice for bright acidity.
  • Pine nuts can be toasted without oil for a lighter version.
  • Serve with Arabic bread and traditional accompaniments for an authentic experience.
  • Author: Amelia
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 11 hours soaking time)
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Find it online: https://recipesvibe.com/balila-hummus-balila-recipe/