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The taste of hummus is very earthy but delicate and can eaisly be ruined by unbalanced flavouring. This is especially important when adding the tahina (and to a lesser extent the lemon) as it is a very powerful flavour. So whenever I make hummus I always taste extra carefully as I go, seasoning with salt carefully. The juice from a tin of beans is useful to loosen the mix.
From the hugely influencial and seminal Book of Middle Eastern Food (paraphrased): this dish has been traditionally decorated in the same manner for centuries; dribble a little red paprika mixed with olive oil over the surface, sprinkle with chopped parsley and arrange a decorative pattern of whole chickpeas on top. Serve with pitta. An alternative is to use cayenne instead of paprika, some mixed into the hummus and some sprinkled over the top together with a little ground cumin, in a star design of alternating red and brown.
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I like to browse in occult bookshops if for no other reason than to refresh my commitment to science.
-- Heinz Pagels, "The Dreams of Reason"
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