Beet Hummus | Pink Dip for Vegetable Sticks

Rinse the beet, wrap it in aluminum foil without peeling it, and roast it in an oven preheated to 200°C / 390°F for 45 minutes. Roasting it with the skin on keeps its color and juices inside; peeling it first lets the color run onto the pan. It is done when a skewer slides into the center without resistance.

Remove the beet from the foil and let it cool until it is comfortable to handle. Push the skin with your fingertips and it will slide off; no knife is needed. To keep the color off your hands and counter, line the cutting board with parchment paper. Cut the beet into large pieces.

Add the chickpeas, beet, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and cumin to a food processor and blend for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and blend for 1 more minute. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil; adding it all at once can make the dip separate and leave a pool of oil on the surface.

Lift the dip with a spoon: it is the right consistency if it forms a thick peak whose tip curls slowly. If it is too thick, add one 15 ml measure of chickpea cooking liquid or drinking water at a time, blending for 15 seconds after each addition. Do not add all the liquid at once; you cannot take it back out.

Transfer the dip to a wide, shallow bowl and use the back of a spoon to make a well in the center. Drizzle a few drops of olive oil over it. Arrange cucumber sticks and steamed, softened carrot sticks around the edge of the bowl. Keep the sticks under 6 cm long and no thicker than a finger.