Shay Haddad loves chickpeas. So much so that his wife sometimes describes his passion as obsession. A few years ago, his love for this dish led him on a search for the perfect hummus. From his quest, Baba Hummus Company was born and, in recent days, a Middle Eastern-inspired concept store.
“Hummus is not a dip,” says Shai Haddad, who hosted the show. Journalism In his kitchen to prepare some variations of this chickpea-based dish. In his view, in North America, chickpeas are often served as a snack, while elsewhere in the world, particularly in Israel, where he was born, they are a “very good,” nutritious, filling main dish served for lunch. Or dinner.
Photo by Hugo-Sébastien Aubert, Press
Shai Haddad, founder of Baba Hummus, in the kitchen
A sharing meal during which guests dig into the same dish. “It's an emotional experience for me, Homs. […] “The social aspect is very strong,” says the enthusiast, who loves entertaining those around him over dinner.
At our place, we love to welcome people. We like to eat. We do not eat because we are hungry, we eat for pleasure, for pleasure.
Haddad tea
This way of thinking was instilled in him by his father, who pays tribute to him through his company Baba Hummus, “Baba” meaning “father” in Arabic. It is also the father's face that appears on the brand's logo. But he's not the one who makes hummus. “He'll want to say it's him, but it's not him,” our interviewer joked while sautéing mushrooms in a pan.
From Israel to Montreal
Because the search for the best hummus is not from his father, but from his king. “I have two great loves in my life,” Shai Haddad begins, before rushing to correct himself. Three great love! You shouldn't say that to my wife. »
“First, there's my partner,” he corrects himself with a smile. But then, there's hip-hop and hummus. »
The man, who had a music career in Israel in the early 1990s and 2000s, after spending his adolescence in Montreal, noticed one thing upon returning to the city in 2013: “There is no good hummus. “At least not like the fatty food he used to eat in Israel, especially in Haifa, the city of his childhood. His search was unsuccessful.
The solution for him? Cook hummus yourself. “But it didn’t go well,” he admits, laughing.
From that point on, he experimented a lot to find the perfect formula for making smooth and creamy hummus. On the weekends, he prepares it for entertainment, then lets those around him taste it.
Photo by Hugo-Sébastien Aubert, Press
The texture of hummus that Shai Haddad demands, here on a slice of red onion
For inspiration, he even took a trip to Israel in 2015. “At different hummus places, I asked questions to find out how it was made. But obviously they didn’t tell me that,” he says as he cuts the vegetables.
Screams of joy
Back home, the full-time technician continued searching for the perfect combination of chickpeas, tahini, water and spices.
Photo by Hugo-Sébastien Aubert, Press
Shai Haddad says he's found the perfect hummus recipe.
Two or three times a week I tried to find the right recipe. And there, at a certain moment, I take my rights Mixer. [….] I make my famous hummus. I taste. I cried with joy.
Haddad tea
finally ! He achieved the desired balance.
What are the secrets of this winning recipe? “You have to choose very nice chickpeas. People don't think about that. It's like coffee. Good beans don't have the same taste,” replies this great espresso lover. Kapolei-type chickpeas are the ones he uses.
Choose dried legumes, not canned, as Shay Haddad advises. “Otherwise it tastes like metal,” says the man who describes himself as a “hummus maker” on his company's website. An invented term that compares it to a “bartender.” “I'm someone who can taste different types of hummus and say this one has garlic, this one has vinegar…” he laughs.
According to him, it is also very important to remove the skin from the chickpeas when cooking to get a very creamy hummus. He adds that the tahini used must be of good quality and contain only sesame.
following
Photo by Hugo-Sébastien Aubert, Press
Shai Haddad says that using good quality tahini is important.
When he began his search for the perfect chickpea, Shai Haddad wasn't thinking about marketing it. Then, faced with the enthusiasm of his family, friends and colleagues, he created Baba Hummus products, which are available at about two dozen points of sale across the city, as well as online.
Last week, the company took another step: opening a store in the Southwest, in Montreal. On site, customers will be able to taste fresh hummus, in the spirit of what's made in Israel, or purchase a container to take with them. This store will also offer many high-quality imported products, such as olive oil from Italy or coffee from Lebanon.
Baba Hummus Boutique, 1487 Le Caron Street, Montreal
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