Step 1

Soak chickpeas in baking soda. Whether you are boiling the chickpeas, soaking them briefly in a bowl or cooking them in the pressure cooker, the baking soda softens the skin. The softer skin helps them peel off easily or blend more easily. And here’s a bonus benefit: the baking soda can also help reduce gas and bloating!Peel the chickpeas. I mentioned this earlier as one of the options for creating a smooth and creamy homemade hummus texture. But I found that peeling the chickpeas, although a little tedious, can create such a difference in the texture.Add ice cubes to the blender. This sounds a bit crazy, but it’s a tip I learned from my dad and it totally works. I never understood it until I tried it. But basically it gives it a freshly churned ice cream-like texture. I would recommend adding at the step with the tahini, lemon and garlic, especially if the hummus is looking grainy.Use a strong blender and blend for at least 4-5 minutes. I’ve seen a difference in the texture by testing two levels of blenders and the blender definitely matters. The truth is, it will most likely never be as creamy as the store-bought and restaurant ones because of the actual machine they use for blending. So one way to remedy that is to blend longer.

Step 2

Place chickpeas in a bowl of water and rub them together to peel the skin (optional step, but helps create a creamy texture).