Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and Cacik Dips

If you love Turkish food, you'd be surprised to know just how simple it is to create some of your favourite dishes at home.

I've already shared the Lamb Shish Kebab, Beef Kofte Kebabs and Healthy Chicken Shish Kebabs but what about the delicious dips to go alongside? So here are two of our favourite dips that would be fantastic with some fresh bread and any of those dishes; Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and Cacik.

Cacik is very similar to Tzatziki (although this of course originates in Greece) except rather than using mint (although in some cases mint is used), in my experience this is often flavoured with fronds of dill.

As I am on a never-ending quest to shift some weight, I often use low fat or fat free yoghurt for Cacik, but you will get a creamier version if you use full fat natural yoghurt, and if you are lucky enough to live close to any shops that stock Turkish produce, I strongly recommend finding a Turkish Yoghurt which is super thick and creamy and makes for a really authentic Cacik.

Cacik and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Cacik

Here's how:

• 3 tbsp yoghurt (fat free if you want a lower calorie version, Turkish or Greek full fat if you want the authentic version and to tell with the calories)
• 1 cucumber
• 1 clove of garlic
• Pinch of salt
• Handful of dill fronds, finely chopped

In a small bowl add the yoghurt and salt. 

Grate the cucumber down and add to the yoghurt. 

Peel and mince the garlic and add to the yoghurt. 

Finely chop the dill fronds and add to the yoghurt then give it all a good mix and spoon into your serving dish; or cover and place into the fridge until you need. 

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

There are tons of varieties of hummus out there, but this is our favourite, taking flavour from those delightful jarred roasted red peppers. If you don't have any and/or can't get hold of them, you can simply place a whole red pepper into the oven at a very high heat and roast until charred all over. Then remove from the oven, allow to cool, and peel off the charred skin and remove the lid, and the seeds inside. 

Here's how:

• 1 large roasted red pepper
• 1 tin of chickpeas
• 2 tbsp tahini 
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 clove of garlic
• Pinch of salt and black pepper
• Olive oil

For this you will need a food processor or if you have one, a Nutribullet. 

Firstly drain off the tin of chickpeas and add 90% of the tin to the Nutribullet or blender (save a few for garnish). Add the tahini and squeeze in the juice of the lemon.

Now peel and mince the garlic and add with the salt and pepper and the roasted red pepper. 

Pour in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Now put the blender lid on and blitz. You will most likely need more like 4-5 tablespoons of olive oil to get a smoother, runnier consistency, but if you add a little at a time, and just blend until you are happy with the consistency.

Once ready, place into the fridge for later with a lid on or dish up into you serving dish and scatter over the remaining chickpeas. If you are making ahead of time, and you find the hummus has gone a little dry in the fridge, just add a few drops more olive oil and mix again with a fork or spoon or give another quick blitz.