This hummus can be made fairly quickly even with dried beans. I think the mild, slightly earthy flavor of the Masoor Dal (a small, salmon colored, skinned and split lentil) makes a nice base for hummus. If you don't have smoked paprika, cumin makes a nice alternative.

Makes about 1 & 3/4 cups

• 1 cup masoor dal
• water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• optional garnishes: pumpkin seed or butternut squash seed oil or olive oil and smoked or sweet paprika

1. Pick any debris from lentils, then rinse well and drain. Place lentils in 2-quart saucepan, and cover with water by about 1/2-inch. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to med-low to maintain simmer. Stir occasionally. Simmer until the lentils are mushy (about 25 to 30 minutes), adding additional water if needed. You want to have most of the water evaporated by the end of cooking, and the lentils should be falling apart. You should end up with about 1 & 1/2 cups of lentil "mash".
2. Place lentils in a small-medium sized bowl, and allow to cool. On cutting board combine salt and garlic, and use the flat edge of a chef's knife to smear them back and forth into a paste. Once lentils are barely warm, add remaining ingredients (other than garnishes). Purée using stick blender until creamy and well-mixed. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
3. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with a drizzle of oil and a dusting of paprika. Serve with crudité or pita chips.