Spicy Thai Hummus

I love hummus. It's easy to make, cheap and packed with protein. I also love the spicy, citrusy and rich flavors that define thai cuisine. Could these two things possibly taste good together? This weekend, I got to work figuring it all out. I paired the plain yet noble chickpea with the vibrant and unique flavors of sriracha, coconut oil and cilantro, among other ingredients, with a fantastic outcome. I've made classic hummus a zillion times, but strayed far away from my usual course by replacing:

• the olive oil with a blend of peanut, coconut and sesame oils;
• the paprika with some sriracha;
• the tahini with chunky peanut butter;
• the salt with soy sauce; and
• the lemon juice with lime zest.

To build upon and round out these flavors, I introduced lemongrass, fresh ginger and cilantro. Rice crackers (instead of pita bread) were a perfect vehicle for scooping up this flavorful, unique and delicate hummus.

INGREDIENTS
15 oz can of chickpeas, rinsed
1 lemongrass heart, chopped
10 sprigs of fresh cilantro, stems included, roughly chopped
zest of one lime
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 piece of fresh ginger (about the size of your pinkie finger), chopped
4 TB chunky peanut butter
1 TB organic, raw virgin coconut oil
1/8 cup peanut oil

1/8 cup toasted sesame oil
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 TB sriracha, plus more to taste
water to thin out as needed

to serve:

chopped peanuts
fresh cilantro sprigs
thinly sliced shallots
crushed red pepper
sriracha

METHOD
Add all of the ingredients to a food processor, except for the water. Combine well. Start by adding in 1 TB of water, and keep adding more until a desired consistency is achieved. Sprinkle peanuts, shallots, cilantro springs and crushed red pepper over the top. Serve at room temperature with sriracha and rice crackers.