hummus
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A thick, savory spread or dip originating from Middle Eastern cuisine. It is primarily made from mashed or pureed cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) blended with tahini (a paste made from sesame seeds), lemon juice, and garlic.
Usage
"Hummus" is an uncountable noun. It refers to the food substance as a whole, not to individual servings. It is commonly used as a spread on bread or sandwiches, or as a dip for vegetables and flatbreads like pita.
Examples
- For a healthy snack, she served carrot sticks with hummus.
- This sandwich is made with whole wheat bread, lettuce, tomato, and a generous layer of hummus.
- Hummus is a staple in many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean diets.
Advanced Usage
- "A tub/container of hummus": Refers to a specific packaged quantity of the food.
- I bought a tub of hummus from the grocery store.
- "Homemade hummus": Specifies that the hummus was made at home, not store-bought.
- Her homemade hummus tastes much better than the commercial kind.
Variants and Related Words
- Hummus is the most common spelling in English. Variant spellings include houmous (chiefly British English) and humus (though this spelling is less common as it is identical to the word for organic component of soil).
- Chickpea (n): The primary legume used to make hummus. Also called garbanzo bean.
- Tahini (n): A paste made from ground sesame seeds, a key ingredient in hummus.
- Dip (n): A general term for a thick sauce into which pieces of food are dipped; hummus is a type of dip.
- Spread (n): A general term for a soft food layer applied to bread; hummus is a type of spread.
Synonyms
- Chickpea dip/spread: A descriptive synonym.
- There is no direct single-word synonym for "hummus" in English, as it is a specific culinary term.
Related Phrases
- "With a side of hummus": Describes a dish that is accompanied by hummus.
- The falafel platter comes with a side of hummus and pita bread.
Related Idioms
- There are no common idioms specifically featuring the word "hummus."
Noun
- a thick spread made from mashed chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic; used especially as a dip for pita; originated in the Middle East