Dips 4 T

Having a meal of crunchy crudités with bowls of Middle East inspired dips doesn't have to just be for a party; the meal scores very highly as a light dinner for your family. Unfortunately, (I don't wish to sound deep but here goes) families can be beaten by the hardships of a day by teatime, and one lacks a dinner with the principles of sitting round a table whilst eating- conversation and activity. That's where this type of meal comes in- with a little light prep, you can prepare a meal that glistens with crunching jaws and tête-à-tête.
This may seem disgustingly precious, but I have included a recipe for hummus here. I cook (well, prepare) the dip very often, and there are infinite ways of varying it- today, I took a harissa approach.
1)In a food processor, blend a drained tin of chickpeas (ones in jars or ones you've soaked and cooked yourself are superior in taste, however), a little salt (go lightly until you taste it, then season accordingly) pepper, the juice of a lemon, a glug of garlic oil, a few teaspoons of harissa, a blob of natural yoghurt and a generous blob of tahini, a sesame paste that is available in most supermarkets. If you can't find it, use a smaller amount of peanut butter. The reason I'm using very accurate mathematical measuring such as 'blob' is based on the reason measurements are useless for a hummus, the amount of each ingredient you use is solely to taste- I needed more salt, harissa and garlic oil after the first blend and subsequently first taste test so don't expect everything perfect at once. A food processor is more efficient than a blender, although it doesn't make everything silky smooth- I can't stand hummus when it's as smooth as cement, but if you want it like that just blend it for longer, at the risk of the machine's motor.
2)Keep the hummus in the fridge whilst you chop some halloumi into sticks, and bake them in a really hot oven on an ungreased baking tray, sprinkled with coarse salt and pepper along with some pitta breads. Bake until the halloumi is blistered and golden, and the pitta bread is brittle.
3)This next dip is best made just before serving, as it contains my favourite savoury fruit- avocado. It's not guacamole, I didn't want to call it that as it contains the controversial addition of peas (specifically a tin of chip-shop-mushy-peas, don't sneer). Call it another hummus if you so desire. Cut into the avocado by cutting to the stone lengthways, running the knife all around the fruit, twisting the two halves open; oh how is it satisfying when the avocado is ripe. Dig the knife into the stone, twist, and pop it out. Scoop out the flesh with a teaspoon, add a tin of mushy peas, squeeze over a lime and a little salt (again, season generously after tasting). Add a handful of chopped fresh mint, including a little stem for earthiness, a dollop of yoghurt and to counter the tang a sprinkle of sugar. Mash everything together, but keeping a little nubbliness to it.
Dip to you and your family's heart's contents!