Where
to Find the Best Hummus in Jerusalem, Israel
By FBWorld Team
Seeking
the best chickpea purée in the city, from the back
alleys of the Old City, to the pedestrian malls of West
Jerusalem, to the basements of East Jerusalem
DON'T
TELL A Jerusalemite that hummus is just a side dish. Most
locals can agree on one thing: The chickpea purée
is no side dish or appetizer. It is the meal's centerpiece.
While
hummus-which means "chickpeas" in Arabic-is
a staple throughout the Middle East and parts of North
Africa, it often appears alongside other mezze such as
tabbouleh or baba ganoush. Not so in Israel and Palestine.
Here, a plate of hummus constitutes a perfectly acceptable
main meal for breakfast or lunch.
Of
course, in this region every cultural marker is a point
of contention in some respect. Israel, a nation of Jewish
immigrants who bring along their own culinary traditions,
has adopted hummus as a de facto national dish. Many Palestinians
view that development as yet another example of colonial
overreach.
But
that doesn't change the fact that for many locals, this
purée is a passion. There are restaurants ("hummusiyot"
in Hebrew) dedicated solely to the chickpea dish, and
long lines form outside the best. Devotees blog about
their quests for the country's best versions.
"People treat it with awe," says Janna Gur,
author of "The Book of New Israeli Food." "I'm
pretty sure it enjoys such a status nowhere else."
Great hummus can be found throughout Israel and the Palestinian
territories; there are famed restaurants in the coastal
locales of Jaffa and Acre, in particular. But Jerusalem
offers an unrivaled selection of Arab- and Jewish-owned
eateries.
From
the back alleys of the Old City to the pedestrian malls
of West Jerusalem to the basements of East Jerusalem,
the quality of the hummus served here challenges visitors'
notions of how good mashed chickpeas can be. And while
hardly any Jerusalemites are in sight at many of the city's
sacred sites, at hummus restaurants, travelers can rub
elbows with locals while getting sustenance for sightseeing
at the same time.
Containing
few main ingredients-chickpeas, the sesame paste known
as tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic-hummus would
seem like a straightforward affair. It isn't. Proportions
matter, as does the quality of ingredients. Good chickpeas
are obviously crucial, and some chefs have gone so far
as to require that their beans be picked at a precise
time of day.
One
can hardly speak of West Jerusalem and East Jerusalem
hummus styles, but small differences do exist. Hummus
served in the eastern, Palestinian part of the city tends
to be more "clean, without spices and a little heavy,"
said Limor Laniado Tiroche, a chef and food columnist
for the Haaretz newspaper, via email. West Jerusalem's
hummus is often less oily, slightly crunchier and more
likely to feature toppings such as eggs or mushrooms.
"Some
with a nonliteral bent see the dip in a Bible verse."
The origins of hummus are unknown, though the dish is
thought to be very old. Some with a nonliteral bent see
its presence in a Bible verse, Ruth 2:14-"At mealtime
Boaz said to her, 'Come over here. Have some bread and
dip it in the wine vinegar'"-noting that the words
for "wine vinegar" and "chickpeas"
are similar in Hebrew.
Hummus
is generally served with pita bread and falafel as well
as raw onions, pickles and tomatoes to scoop up the revered
dish. Individual servings may look small, but they are
filling. Inbal Baum, who leads hummus tours in Tel Aviv,
said she instructs participants to pace themselves and
share plates.
Attempts
at modernizing hummus haven't gone very far. Most have
involved adding toppings to the mix, but Tomer Niv, chef
at Rama's Kitchen, a hilltop restaurant outside Jerusalem
that prizes local ingredients, is happily breaking the
rules. Mr. Niv makes a beet-based hummus in which chickpeas
are almost an afterthought.
"The
hummus is the technique, not the ingredient," he
said. The chef is experimenting with other ingredients,
including pumpkin, carrots and sweet potatoes, he said.
"Until
now, chefs are not really wanting to mess with the dish
because it is good as it is," Ms. Tiroche said. "And
everyone agrees with that."
For a complete list of recommended restaurants in Jerusalem,
and the original WSJ post, click
here.
By
NICOLAS BRULLIARD
Courtesy of The Wall Street Journal
Photography by Laurent Burst for Rama's Kitchen
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