What an unexpected delight! Smorl’s houmous, chickpeas cooked with seaweed, blended together with parsley and corriander, extra virgin olive oil, tahini and lemon juice, fresh garlic, salt, cumin, lemon zest and black pepper. Surprise surprise – a houmous unlike any I’ve ever eaten.
Smorl’s is sold with 3 garlic intensities: garlic, extra garlic and thunder garlic. 2 different size containers, £1.00 and £3.00, or better yet, try one of Sarah’s pita sandwiches: sunflower seeds sprinkled on fresh mixed sprouts, layered on beet salad (shredded beets and carrots with an oil, balsamic vinegar and mustard dressing) piled on top of her special houmous, all stuffed inside a pita. The blend of flavors is simply to die for!
But seaweed? Yes, says Sarah, she cooks the dried organic chickpeas with kombu seaweed, then blends the seaweed with the chickpeas and the other ingredients to make the most amazing houmous I’ve ever eaten.
“Where did you get the idea to cook the chick peas with seaweed?” I asked.
She had a friend who had stopped eating houmous due to the chick peas upsetting her tummy – too much gas. Kombu seaweed works to combat the gas – as does cumin, a standard ingredient in houmous, but the cumin wasn’t enough – so she decided to try cooking the chick peas with it. The result is a houmous that people say once you’ve had it, you’ll never be satisfied with any other.
I’m sold! Now I have to figure out the proportions to make it work. Until now, I’ve been frustrated by my houmous efforts. I’ve always used canned chickpeas and have found different brands produce infinitely different results. We’ll see what happens when I try this method. Of course, there’s nothing like fresh organic ingredients cooked from scratch.
Until I get it right, I can always visit Sarah’s stall at the mini-food fair in Brighton’s Churchill Square. Only on Wednesday’s. Pity.
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Alison Amazed 
I don’t know. I’m scared. But what the heck–I’ll try just about anything. Wonder if anyone here in Los Angeles makes anything like this. I don’t guess I’ll be making it.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Hey Lee, always appreciate your comments! Why do I get the feeling my food posts have opened you to a whole world of food? Did you ever check out the farmer’s market? A
Actually I did go to a small farmer’s market last year and keep meaning to go back. Unfortunately, the really good farmer’s markets in this area are a bit far for me to go, but still I think there are some pretty good ones that I should explore one day.
Lee
You might find a local farmer who delivers veggie boxes. There are lot of them here who do that. Also there is a woman I linked with on WordPress who has a Locavores site, and she started a veggie box delivery scheme in her area and uses her garage as the holding depot so the farmer only has to make one drop off. Not sure if you have facility for that but it’s something you can consider. The Locavore blog is. Lady Locavore…hmmm…she’s in Ontario, Canada and gets her veggies delivered form a farmer in Alymer Quebec.
By the way, did I mention this houmous is amazing? Eating some right now on toasted herb and garlic nan. To die for.
Thanks for the link! I love the idea of Kombu settling your tummy! 🙂
You’re most welcome. I stopped by your blog, lovely pictures of seaweed. Reminds me of the shoreline on the tidal river I lived on in Nova Scotia. I loved playing in the rock pools and popping the seaweed.
If you get the proportions, will you post it for us? I’d like to try it. I guess you can find seaweed at the health food store? My husband asked if it was you in the picture. 🙂
I told him no.
If I ever get round to trying to make this Houmous, will definitely post the recipe.
Best houmous in town. Sarah is lovely too. Very friendly. If only there were there more than once a week.
Hi Andy, Yes! Sadly am no longe rin Brighton – however have worked to make a houmous as good as Sarah’s – but haven’t yet achieved her top die for results!