The Great Hummus Craze
I have never understood the hype over hummus. What is so magical about this dip that makes people crave it? For people who are hooked, for those who understand the allure, there is definitely a market for this tub of beige Middle Eastern goodness in Gwangju.
Here in Gwangju artisanal hummus is blended up at small studio apartments and sold on the streets like crystal meth.
But whose hummus is the best? With so many people producing hummus the customer can’t decide on where to spend their money. But fear not, Gwangju News is here to help with our Great Hummus Taste Test. We tasted homemade hummus from the Kebbaburrito kitchen, as well as the Gwangju Hummus Lab.
Being in South Korea means that certain ingredients are hard or expensive to come by and this includes some of the ingredients needed to make hummus like tahini, a paste made from ground seasame seeds. So our taste test was also a tahini test. Can our blind taste testers sniff and taste out the difference? Kebaburrito makes tahini free hummus but adds a magical secret ingredient, while Gwangju Hummus Lab uses tahini.
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The Hummus
Kebaburrito (sans tahini)
www.facebook.com/kebaburritos
Delivery available
Price: 5000 won
Flavours: Original, Black Olive, Red Pepper, Pesto, Jalapeno
Gwangju Hummus Lab (with tahini)
www.facebook.com/GwangjuHummus
Pick up Downtown.
Price: 5000 – 10000 won
Flavours: Traditional Hummus, Extreme Garlic, Thai Chili, Fresh Basil and Lime Hummus, Hot Chilli Hummus, Black Olive Hummus. You can also add seasoned chicken breast pieces for 2000.
The Taste Testers
Sherlock Hummus
“I’m hot on the trail for some delicious hummus.”
The Coffee Snob:
“I love to sample different coffees, whiskies, wines, sauces, and hummus. Hummus is one of those must have dips for finger foods and tapas. My aunt is an amazing chef, who makes her own hummus and it is awesome.”
Veg Head:
“Hummus is a lifeline as a veggie.”
Pro-tip: Roast chickpeas with any interesting spice and sprinkle on top of salad for a protein filled rabbit meal.
Gravity Tastes Again:
A female who once worked at a small African Bistro where a beautiful woman made the most delicious hummus.
Bert:
“I lived in Israel for a summer as a poor college student and lived off hummus and pita bread. That would be the only thing in my fridge for weeks. I know good hummus.”
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Hummus A-1: Plain – 5,000 – Kebaburitto
Presentation (color, garnish, aroma): Color was on point. Some people were alarmed by the brightness of the paprika while others thought the colors were beautiful, bold, and very appetizing. However, the aroma was very faint. Everyone was hoping for a rich aroma when it came time to stick their noses into the tub.
Taste (spice, flavor, heat, texture): Everyone was in agreement that the texture was great. One tester commented “the texture was very authentic – very close to Middle eastern style”. Spices on the other hand were lacking. The hummus needed a bit more garlic and salt. Two testers also craved more olive oil.
Spreadability: One person thought the hummus wasn’t the easiest to spread while the others thought it had the perfect spreadability.
Hummus B-1: Pesto – 5,000
Presentation: The color was beautiful; you can see specks of different shades of green. The garnish of pesto on top was a nice touch, and the aroma was amazing.
Taste: The texture was a bit too watery compared to A-1’s Plain hummus. “It lacks a binding texture”, remarked one taster. It claims to have a pesto flavor and it does, except it needed more garlic and less lemon. As delicious and enjoyable as this was some said they wouldn’t call it hummus due to the watery texture.
Spreadability: This category was split down the middle. Some said it was easy to spread, while others thought it was too runny for hummus.
Hummus A-2: Plain – 5,000 – Gwangju Hummus Lab
Presentation: With beautiful packaging and an alluring colour, this hummus was studded with whole chickpeas and sprinkled with Za’atar. A few of the tasters said that based purely on the presentation they would have bought the hummus without tasting it. One commented “it looks like Christmas!”, while another proclaimed it to be “modern art”. The aroma was powerful or “mouth watering” as one tester described it. However, one thing that disappointed everyone was the amount of hummus we received. They expected more.
Taste: Two taste testers thought the spices were perfect, the others demanded more flavor. They were able to taste a hint of lemon but they wanted a bit more, as well as a bit more garlic, a bit more salt and just generally more. One thing they did mention was that this hummus had a ‘hummus’ taste (take a guess why?). Although a few also commented that the hummus tucked away into the corners of the dish was too dry and that the oil used as a garnish in the center should have been spread more evenly to prevent the rest from drying out.
Spreadability: “Perfect” said one tester. “It sticks!” said another. To test it out, I let the hummus hang for a second to see what would happen if someone asks you a question at the very moment you dip. But have no fear, you won’t have to, in the words of Sir Mix-a-lot, “pull up quick to retrieve it”.
Hummus B-2: Thai Chilli, Fresh Basil and Lime (Spicy)
Presentation: Beautiful presentation and color, although one person thought it was too pale (compared to A-2: Plain) and they would have liked more paprika or chili powder. The aroma seemed subtle and balanced.
Taste: “Where is the heat?” was the big question on everybody’s lips. The testers were preparing for an overwhelming spicy blend; they had their glasses of water ready. One did say “I enjoy the slow creep up of flavor and heat”. Most felt the kick but thought it wasn’t enough. Due to the nature of this hummus we had to bring in a wild card taste tester. A man who is disappointed with the spice level of this country, Gwangju’s very own heat seeker ‘Jehovah’. “This is not spicy”, he said, while shaking his head and rolling his eyes slightly. His search continues.
Spreadability: This hummus also scored high in the spreadability stakes. “Perfect” and “smooth” said our tasters.
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The Aftermath
After this taste test I spoke with the owners of Kebaburrito and Gwangju Hummus Lab and told them the results. They have taken our tasters comments on board and will do their best to improve on their already tasty hummus. So if you thought their stuff was good then, just wait till you try it now!
Thanks to First Alleyway for hosting and catering to our needs. Also thank you to The Baker Babe for donating her delicious freshly baked pita for our tasting. Looking for great baked goods? Facebook search “The Baker Babe”.
With respect to all of the testers above, I would like to add further comments. I cannot speak to the Kebaburrito hummus as I have never tried it. But, judging by the quality of their falafal mix, I would guess it is pretty darn good.
I love hummus from the Gwangju Hummus Lab. Even if I did not know the owner personally, I would still rave about this hummus.
The fact that someone is willing to acquire all the necessary ingredients and prepare delicious hummus for me in a place where often we suffer through corn on pizza, 5000 won is a steal. Perhaps the taste testers may have gotten a tasting portion, because I immediately thought between the size and quality I would pay between 7000 and 10,000 for this hummus. I have made each batch of hummus last for a week, though I have had several friends eat an entire container on a binge Sunday breakfast.
Having tried the extreme garlic and the black olive, my favorite by a smidgen was the black olive. But, hummus is extremely personal; it is based on one’s own hummus history. I recommend taking out an oh-chun won and talking to the friendly people at kebaburrito and the hummus lab and taste testing for yourself. I bet you won’t be disappointed, and if you are, eat some Korean food. No Korean food will ever be this good again. Then, take your winter vacation to go get hummus from the source.
I’m sorry guys, this article was a little whiny.
Thank you for your comment Sarah! At Gwangju News we always appreciate the feedback of our readers. We want you to know that this article did not intend to insult any of the Gwangju hummus makers. The taste testing took place with the full support of the owners of both Kebaburritos and Gwangju Hummus Lab. This taste test was conducted in a spirit of fun and also with the intention of promoting artisanal hummus makers in the city. Although some criticisms are made, we feel that the overall tone of the article expresses how much we did enjoy eating the hummus. We think it’s delicious and we appreciate that these two manufacturers take the time to provide a food that otherwise would not be available to us in Gwangju.
I think wanting the hummus to have a particular flavor is being a bit picky? Especially since there are only two places in Gwangju who sell this hummus, and it is nothing but time consuming to make.
From the Gwangju Hummus Lab, I’ve ordered both the spicy Chili pepper one and tried the black olive and the chilli pepper one barely lasted two days. They both were exceptionally tasty.
The portion, given the tahini is shipped, is just fine, leaves you begging for more, which is what a business is all about.
And since the Hummus from the Hummus Lab is made by ONE person, I think emphasis on this article should be about supporting them and not so much a critique on the flavor, but praise for the overall hard work they put into it. Let the customers judge for themselves, since everyone has their own taste for things anyway.
Thank you for your comment Rachel! As we have previously mentioned, at Gwangju News we always appreciate the feedback of our readers. We love to know that people care about what we write and want to voice their opinions! We want you to know that this article did not intend to insult any of the Gwangju hummus makers. We agree with you that it is very impressive that individual’s in Gwangju are taking the time to single-handedly make this product so we can all avail of their delicious product.
The taste test was conducted in a spirit of fun (in the full knowledge of those who made the hummus) and the over all purpose of this article was to support and get publicity for these artisanal hummus makers. The fact that many people are reading this post, sharing it on Facebook and commenting shows that both these companies are getting publicity from our article. It is even better publicity, when people such as yourself comment so positively! We think our ending line sums up how we felt about the hummus: “if you thought their stuff was good then, just wait till you try it now!” We agree that the hummus is already delicious and we think it can only get better.
Rani, Thanks for this article. There is both praise and criticism for all the hummus styles. I agree hummus taste and presentation is a personal preference, like people from different areas comparing their taste for pizzas. It’s not all the same. It would be great to read nothing but positives about the food, but this article is also a bit honest and contains negative comments. I think the judges like salt a bit much, and it’s funny that some were alarmed by bright paprika. That’s how it comes out of the bottle: bright red. It’s all subjective. I also did not expect judges to savor the smell, because cold hummus may not be as fragrant as hummus made and served hot. But it’s all subjective. We work hard to make the hummus, package it and get it to our hungry fans. I hope everyone who reads this will want to try it for their own judgement. Thanks for doing this and thanks for the exposure.