Dry chickpeas:soak chickpeas in water with 1 teaspoon baking soda for 8 to 12 hours. Drain them, then boil in lightly salted water for 2 hours or until tender.Canned chickpeas:drain and rinse well, then boil them for 15 minutes in water with ½ teaspoon ground cumin.
Put chickpeas in a bowl with cold water and rub them between your hands to separate their skin.
Discard the skins. You don't have to discard them all, just the ones that come off quickly.
To a blender or food processor, add chickpeas, ⅓ cup water, 4 tablespoons tahini, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 small clove garlic (chopped), ½ teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and 5 ice cubes.Blend until you reach your desired taste and texture, adding more water if necessary.
Spread on a serving platter and garnish to taste. We like it with extra virgin olive oil and whole chickpeas in the middle.
Nico's serving tip: add whole chickpeas in the center, drizzle with tahini sauce, then with extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of sumac, and serve with homemade pita bread.