1
Drain the chickpeas and place them in a pan of fresh water.
2
Add the bicarbonate of soda and bring to the boil, then continue to simmer on a low heat until the chickpeas are soft. You will need to skim the top of the water from time to time.
3
Drain the chickpeas and put a dessertspoonful of them to one side. Blend the rest of the chickpeas in a food processor, dropping in the ice cubes one by one. This method produces a wonderfully smooth texture and turns the hummus almost white.
4
Transfer the blended chickpeas into a bowl and add the tahini, cumin, garlic and lemon juice. If you would prefer a less nutty flavour you could reduce the tahini. You can also vary the consistency by adding a little more water to thin it.
5
Serve topped with the chickpeas put aside earlier.