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hummus balila served in a wooden bowl with pita bread and shirazi salad
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5 from 5 votes

Balila

Balila or Hummus Balila is a rustic Lebanese chickpeas salad that makes for a wholesome and nutritious meal.
Prep Time8 hours
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Salads
Cuisine: Middle eastern
Servings: 3
Calories: 830kcal

Equipment

  • 1 6 quart Instant Pot
  • 1 Colander
  • 1 set measuring cups and spoons
  • 1 Pan
  • 1 Slotted ladle

Ingredients

For soaking the chickpeas

  • 1.5 cups dried chickpeas
  • 6 to 8 cups water

For the Instant Pot Chickpeas

  • 3 cups hydrated chickpeas
  • 6 cups water

For the salad

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 crushed garlic cloves
  • 3 cups cooked chickpeas or drained canned chickpeas please refer blog post for more details
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1.5 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

Instructions

Prep the chickpeas

  • Wash 1.5 cups dried chickpeas in a colander.
  • Add them to a large bowl and soak them in 6 to 8 cups water for 8 hours.

Instant Pot Chickpeas

  • After 8 hours, drain the chickpeas in a colander.
  • Rinse them under water twice.
  • Add the hydrated chickpeas to the inner pot of the inner pot.
  • Add 6 cups water. Stir well.
  • Ensure that the sealing ring has been fitted properly into the Instant Pot lid.
  • Place the inner pot into the Instant Pot.
  • Plug in the Instant Pot and close it. Turn the VALVE TO SEALING.
  • PRESS PRESSURE COOK MODE- HIGH and set the timer to 20 MINUTES.
  • Wait for the cooking cycle to complete.
  • When done, allow the pressure to release naturally.
  • When the natural pressure release is complete, open the lid and reserve 1 cup of the water used for cooking the chickpeas.
  • Now drain the remaining water and set the chickpeas aside.

Making the salad

  • Heat a pan with olive oil.
  • When the oil is hot, add the crushed garlic and toss the garlic around for 30 to 40 seconds.
  • Immediately, tip in the cooked chickpeas and mix well.
  • Add the ground cumin and salt.
  • Add the reserved water or 1 cup of plain water.
  • Mash the chickpeas once or twice with a potato masher.
  • Stir well to combine.
  • Cover the pan and allow to cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the lime juice and immediately turn off the heat.

Canned chickpeas

  • Heat a pan with olive oil.
  • Add the crushed garlic and toss for 20 to 30 secs.
  • Drain the canned chickpeas in a colander and rinse under water once.
  • Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas to the pan.
  • Pour 1 cup water to the pan and add ground cumin and salt.
  • Stir well and mix.
  • Close the pan and continue to cook for 20 minutes on low heat until the chickpeas are soft and buttery.
  • Once done, open the pan and mash the chickpeas once or twice with a potato masher.
  • Tip in the lemon juice and mix well.
  • Turn off the heat immediately and serve hot.

For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes

Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Nutrition

Calories: 830kcal | Carbohydrates: 130g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 1317mg | Potassium: 1633mg | Fiber: 37g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 157IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 291mg | Iron: 14mg
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