{"id":2223,"date":"2019-01-17T08:00:51","date_gmt":"2019-01-17T13:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tchakayiti.com\/home\/?p=2223"},"modified":"2022-10-13T17:23:41","modified_gmt":"2022-10-13T21:23:41","slug":"a-caribbean-chestnut-hummus-recipe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tchakayiti.com\/home\/a-caribbean-chestnut-hummus-recipe\/","title":{"rendered":"A Caribbean chestnut hummus recipe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every year, we host the family at Christmas. To mix things up a bit, my mom and I always try to stray away from a strictly traditional menu. \u00a0Be it an appetizer or part of the main course, our guests are always sure to find an unusual dish at our family table.<\/p>\n

This year, our unexpected dish was the hummus illustrated above.<\/h5>\n

I knew it would intrigue everyone. I was ready for the many questions that would surely come my way. Questioning my concoctions is my aunts\u2019 and uncles\u2019 forte. Year after year, I find myself caught in an interrogation game that never ends.\u00a0 They always want more information than I am willing to give about the food on the table.<\/p>\n

This year was obviously no different, especially when it came to that hummus plate. Questions swarmed from everywhere the minute I set it down. \u00a0They wanted and needed to know every detail of its content.<\/p>\n

I answered their questions with a nonchalant: labapin. That was not the answer they wanted or needed. And I knew that. But I was not ready to give in. I wanted them to try it.<\/p>\n

Just like us, they had never eaten labapin that way before. They were thus convinced that I was making fun of them. They were right, to some extent. I was omitting key information on purpose. I simply wanted them to taste the hummus before they asked their hundred questions.<\/p>\n

\"Hummus<\/p>\n

They finally dug in and sampled it when they realized my answer would not change. Then and only then, did they actually believe me when I told them I had prepared a labapin hummus. The surprised looks and smiles on their faces were priceless. They confirmed that my recipe was a success. My aunt even told me that I could publish the recipe for my \u201ccream of labapin\u201d on the blog.<\/p>\n

Her seal of approval made my day. I must, however, confess that I cringed a bit when she referred to it by the name \u201ccream.\u201d I had named my dish hummus, and that was the name I would use on the blog.<\/p>\n

Why call it hummus when it does not include beans?<\/h5>\n

Simply because, as I mentioned in my very first article dedicated to our lapabins<\/a>, my mom and I think canned chickpeas are similar in flavor to our Caribbean chestnuts better known as breadnuts. We thus always wanted to substitute them for chickpeas in the traditional hummus.<\/p>\n

That is exactly what I did with this recipe. I followed the same directions I would for a traditional hummus. \u00a0I boiled the breadnuts in salty water like we normally do. I then peeled and reduced them to a puree seasoned with garlic, lime juice, salt, paprika and olive oil. The only ingredient missing is the tahini. But that is not a first. I am known to make my hummus without it. I do so, simply because tahini comes in big sizes, and besides the hummus I don\u2019t have much use for it in my Haitian kitchen, yet. I thus refrain from buying it.<\/p>\n

\"Lapabin,<\/p>\n

This labapin hummus was quite the adventure.<\/h5>\n

And a stressful one at that. Reducing those breadnuts to a puree turned out to be more difficult than I had anticipated. I learned that our lapabins are extremely porous. It took a lot of liquid to get them to have the right texture. I even had to puree them in separate batches so as to avoid overworking our processor. Needless to say, I was worried my hummus wouldn\u2019t come out right.<\/p>\n

Luckily, my fears were unfounded. Our labapin make the most unctuous hummus yet.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/h5>\n

It\u2019s definitely a recipe worth saving and trying. I myself will make it more often even if it means I must spend hours peeling those breadnuts.<\/p>\n

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\"Hummus<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Haitian breadnut hummus<\/h2>\n
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This recipe substitutes breadnut or Caribbean chestnuts for the traditional garbanzo beans. <\/span>
<\/div>Please note that the proportions are approximate. Breadnuts absorb a lot of liquid. The amount of water will depend on how unctuous you want your hummus to be.<\/span>
<\/div>Keep in mind that you can always mix in some more olive oil prior to serving if you feel your hummus needs some more oil. <\/span><\/div>\n
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