Panini Kabob Grill owner Ali Kazemi. PHOTO COURTESY PANINI KABOB GRILL
A house specialty at Panini Kabob Grill, which has several SoCal locations including Woodland Hills, Bevery Hills and Glendale, is the hummus trio. It includes traditional chickpea hummus, black bean hummus and this edamame hummus. “Parents love this for their kids because it’s healthy,” owner Ali Kazemi explains. “Kids like it because it’s easy to eat.” The spices are mild and the dish is creamy – and fun to dip with crackers, cut veggies or pita triangles.
This recipe doesn’t include tahini, which Kazemi says makes hummus heavy and leaves you thirsty. He prefers sea salt to table salt, which contains chemicals.
You can use ready-to-eat edamame beans from the supermarket, but they should still be simmered so they will blend easily. “Texture is very important for hummus,” Kazemi says. “It must be smooth.” You can also buy garlic puree or make your own at home with a mortar and pestle. “This would probably be a really fun part for the kids to help out with,” Kazemi says.
Once you’ve mixed up a batch, be patient. “As tasty as it is right after you finish the recipe,” says Kazemi, “we recommend that you let it cool in the fridge for at least 12 hours. This gives it time to thicken, and it tastes best when chilled.” The hummus can be kept three to five days in the refrigerator – if you can stop yourself from gobbling it all up.
Edamame Hummus from Panini Kabob Grill
PHOTO COURTESY PANINI KABOB GRILL
4 cups edamame beans
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic puree
3 ounces fresh lime juice (juice from one whole lemon can be substituted)
1½ cups olive oil
Put the edamame beans into a large saucepan. Fill with water to just above the level of the beans and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, until the beans are tender.
Transfer the beans to a colander, rinse with cold water and drain well.
Add the beans and all other ingredients to a blender or food processor, or process with a stick blender in a large, round container. Process until smooth and creamy. Cover and refrigerate.
