Fermented Yellow Squash Hummus

I love hummus.  I know that’s a strong word but it really is one of my favorite foods.  Lately though I have been dealing with some inflammation issues and have gone a mostly plant based keto to help manage it.  I’ve tried making keto hummus before but wasn’t particularly impressed with the recipes or results.  For this, I chose yellow summer squash.  I diced it and dry roasted it in a cast iron pan at 350°F for an hour.

I leave out the chili flakes when making this for kids, but it is awesome with.  I used cultured onion juice for fermenting this hummus. The flavor is smooth, full of that mediterranean tahini taste and roasted notes and has a nice depth to it.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 4-7 yellow squash, depending on size, dry roasted (about 4 cups cooked)
• 4 garlic cloves
• ½ cup cultured vegetable juice from a previous ferment, whey from a batch of live yogurt or milk kefir or water kefir (in theory you could try kombucha, but I’ve never done)
• 1/2 cup tahini, or 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds or toasted sunflower seeds
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tsp ancho chili flakes (optional)
• 1 tsp turmeric (optional)
• 1 tablespoon sea salt, celtic sea salt or pink salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ – ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil (poured over top to seal out bacteria)
• 1-3 teaspoons ground chia seed (optional, but blend in if it is too wet)

Method:

Wash, remove the tops and halve the yellow squash lengthwise and then cut into 1″ sections. Dry roast at 350°F for 1 hour. Put all ingredients in a food processor (hold out the olive oil) and process until smooth.

If serving immediately, leave out the fermenting liquid.  Spoon into a bowl and stir in 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, then drizzle a bit more on the top. Serve with crudite platter or chips.

If fermenting, hold out the olive oil until the very end. Transfer hummus to a 2 litre clip top jar, cover with the olive oil and clamp closed.  Slowly rotate the jar until the olive oil seals the entire empty surface.  Leave to ferment for 2-3 days depending on your preference.  It will be cultured after 24 hours but you will have a stronger bite and more gut healthy bacteria after 2 or 3 days.  It is an acquired taste so if you’re new start with 1-2 days.  Once finished, stir the olive oil in and store in a 1 liter glass jar in the fridge.

Pro Tip: Make sure your jar is at minimum 1 1/2 times the capacity of your culture.  Double is best.  If your jar is too small it will grow right out of the jar and all over your kitchen counter.