Hummus is a spreadable food that's enjoyed worldwide. The creamy dip is made of ground chickpeas and is usually flavored with the sesame seed paste called tahini. It's considered to be a traditional staple of Greek, Arab, Israeli, and Persian food. All of these different groups claim to have created hummus, and all make this dish differently. Below, learn about the origins of this delicacy. 

What Are the Likely Origins?

The honor of naming this popular dish goes to the Arabs. Hummus means "chickpea" in Arabic, referring to the dish's main ingredient. The earliest recorded mention of the dish dates to the 13th century in Cairo.

However, that doesn't mean the recipe itself is Egyptian. By the time a food is written about, it's likely already popular and widespread. The frequent trade between Greece, Egypt, and the Arabian peninsula during this historical period muddies the issue further. There is also a 10,000-year history of chickpea cultivation and use in Persian food, so pinning down the first culture to mash these legumes is difficult. It might be that more than one person came up with the idea independently and created different flavor variations based on their climate and area. 

What Are the Modern Controversies? 

Today, the question of whether hummus is an Arab, Jewish, Greek, or Persian food is a topic of heated debate between the countries concerned. In 2008, Lebanon petitioned the UN to recognize hummus as a Lebanese food officially, and they also attempted to file a lawsuit against Israel for copyright infringement over the recipe. There was no official conclusion to either of these actions. With hummus so well-established across such a wide geographical area, it's impossible to reach a firm conclusion about who has the most claim to it. Eventually, the dispute between Lebanon and Israel dissolved into a competition to set the world record for the largest plate of hummus.

If you want to try traditional hummus and other delicious Persian food, visit Sufi Kitchen in Atlanta, GA. Located between Buckhead and Midtown, they're Fulton County's top Persian restaurant, offering a fine dining experience and a varied menu of traditional dishes and cocktails. Call (404) 888-9699 for a reservation, or view their menu online.