Homemade Hummus with Vegetable Crudités

Soak 1 cup of dried chickpeas in water overnight or for at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse well.

Place soaked chickpeas in a medium pot with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Cover with water by 2 inches and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20-30 minutes until chickpeas are very tender and easily squished between your fingers.

Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the chickpeas and let cool for 5 minutes.

In a food processor, combine the warm chickpeas, 1/3 cup tahini, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and 2 peeled garlic cloves. Process for 3 minutes until smooth.

With the processor running, slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Continue processing for another 2 minutes.

Add 2-4 tablespoons of ice cold water, one tablespoon at a time, while processing until you reach your desired consistency. Process for an additional 1-2 minutes until the hummus is very smooth and creamy.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or lemon juice if needed.

Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl. Create a shallow well in the center with the back of a spoon, drizzle with a little extra olive oil, and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley.

For the crudités, wash and peel 3 medium carrots, then cut into sticks. Slice 1 medium cucumber into spears. Remove seeds from 1 red bell pepper and cut into strips. Trim and halve 6 radishes. Wash 1 cup of cherry tomatoes.

Arrange the prepared vegetables on a platter around the hummus bowl. Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon fresh parsley and serve immediately.