I love hummus and all through summer there will always be a pot in the fridge.

Simple hummus, made from chickpeas, tahini paste, lemon juice and garlic is a great start but why not also try to make alternatives? My favourites at the moment are inspired by recipes from Rick Stein and Sabrina Ghayour.

It is perfectly fine to use tinned chickpeas but, as I have an Aga, using dried peas is not so extravagant. Measurements are approximate; more or less garlic, tahini paste or lemon juice depends on your taste.

200g dried chickpeas (or 2 x 400g cans)
4-5 tsp tahini paste
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
1 unwaxed lemon, juice and a little finely grated zest
Generous pinch of salt

If using dried chickpeas, leave them to soak over night. Drain and rinse before putting them in a pan with plenty of unsalted water. Bring to the boil and then cover and simmer or put into the oven at a low temperature (about 140°C) for about two hours or until the chickpeas are soft but not mushy.. Drain but, whether using dried or tinned chickpeas, reserve some of the liquid (which is aquafaba and a useful substitute for egg whites in vegan recipes).

In Rick Stein’s recipe, put two tablespoons of the chick peas aside and liquidise the rest along with the garlic, tahini paste, salt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the zest and enough of the reserved cooking liquid to give the right consistency.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle over the remainder of the lemon juice, drizzle over a teaspoon of tahini paste, scatter over one teaspoon each of sumac and ground cumin, the retained chickpeas and a scattering of finely chopped coriander leaves.

Lastly, heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a small pan and, when very hot, add a little crushed garlic and a pinch of chilli flakes ( I use Aleppo chilli flakes). Cook very briefly (30 seconds or less) and pour over the hummus before serving.

Sabrina Ghayour has a recipe for spiced hummus. While blending the ingredients as in Rick Steins’s version, add more lemon juice (without reserving any to put on top), 12-15g peeled and grated fresh turmeric, and two teaspoons of roasted cumin seeds. Her recipe is used to accompany a platter of ‘spiced crudité’ which is stunning. Ground turmeric could be used if fresh is not available.

Hummus can be kept in the fridge for up to three days.