This story is part of On Repeat, a series in which we ask top chefs, cookbook authors, and other famous foodies about the dishes they just can’t quit.
When we asked spice master Lior Lev Sercarz what plant-based dish he makes on repeat, he pointed to a quintessential staple of his diet: hummus. The owner of La Boite—a shop and lab where he develops spice blends for home cooks and top restaurants—Lev Sercarz is also co-owner of East Village shawarma spot Spice Brothers and author of books including A Middle Eastern Pantry.
Hummus in Arabic and Hebrew refers to both the pulse and the dish, which throughout the Middle East is considered far more than a dip. Lev Sercarz’s take on the classic version, hummus tahina, becomes the foundation for all manner of meals. “When you grow up eating hummus, it’s normal to have it all day,” he says.
Why I love it
“I grew up eating hummus, and it is still one of my favorite things. I love the fact that it can be eaten at any time of day as a snack, side dish, or even as a main course. It has a creamy smooth texture and lends itself to many flavors and toppings. It is filling and full of good ingredients such as sesame and chickpea. You can easily prepare some at home with canned chickpeas, or buy one of the many great brands in the store. (My favorites are Holy Hummus and Michael Solomonov’s Zahav Hummus.)”
What I’ve changed
“For breakfast, the classic is warm chickpea hummus, fresh herbs, and tomato—the more toppings the better, like foul mudammas (stewed fava beans). At lunch, I’ll have a well of hummus filled with roasted spiced mushrooms, soft-boiled eggs, and a pool of extra-virgin oil, waiting to be mopped up with fresh, fluffy pita. Or I’ll have sabich—the street-food classic with eggplant, hard-boiled egg, tahina, and amba sauce—which we make at Spice Brothers.
“These days, an easy snack on the go is hummus with pretzels, fresh veggies, or slathered as a spread onto crackers or sandwiches. And for dinner, it’s part of the salatim or mezze to start the evening, and it can move into a space similar to mashed potatoes, pairing well with roasted meats, hearty vegetables, and salads along with zhoug or amba. There’s even sweet hummus—it can come in a chocolate version to pair with fruit or cookies.”
What else I’m into right now
Soda carbonator. As someone who consumes large amounts of sparkling water, I decided not too long ago to stop buying bottled sparkling water and switch to a carbonator to reduce the amount of plastic bottles we were trashing every week. We also are able to send back the empty CO2 container to be refilled.
Biodegradable packing peanuts. At La Boite, we send thousands of orders a year and we have made the decision to start using biodegradable packing peanuts. These can be reused by our customers or added to their home composting.
Bye-bye batteries. We no longer use any disposable standard batteries at La Boite. All items are rechargeable, including all of our battery-operated electronics.