1.
Soak the chickpeas overnight.
2.
Drain and pressure cook it for 3-4 whistles - about 10 minutes. Use little water to cook the chickpeas - just enough to cover the chickpeas.
3.
While the chickpeas is cooking, peel the beetroot
4.
and chop it into small pieces.
5.
Steam or boil them in little water, about 10-15 minutes or until they are soft and cooked through. Retain the cooking water.
6.
At this point even your chickpeas would have been done. Remove from cooker, drain but retain the water if any.
7.
In a skillet on med-heat, add the chopped onions (no oil necc.) with little salt. Adding the garlic cloves is optional but I cook it to mellow down the garlic flavor ( for the kids on the table!).
8.
The salt helps to bring out the moisture from the onions. Add the cumin powder and toss it.
9.
Add 1-2 tbsp of the chickpeas water to the skillet to help the spice cook along with onions. Once the onion softens, remove from heat and set aside.
10.
Now add the cooked beets, chickpeas and the rest of the ingredients (including the onion mixture) to a processor.
11.
Process it until smooth. With the motor running, pour the Olive oil in a steady stream until the mixture is thoroughly combined. You might have to do this in two batches.
By Cheryl on Dec 12, 2012