Before Hummus: Ground Chickpea Dishes in the Medieval Middle East

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Join us for a special dinner with Aviva Ben-Ur and Nahla Khalil in collaboration with UMass Dining.

Dishes made with ground chickpeas are today a staple of Middle Eastern food, particularly in the form of hummus, which is widely available in mainstream U.S. supermarkets.

Eight hundred years ago, Egyptians also consumed dishes made of ground chickpeas, which they called ḥimmaṣ kassā (mashed chickpeas). Despite the similar names, medieval “hummus” tasted entirely different. Travel back into time with us to sample three medieval Egyptian chickpea dishes, two medieval vegetable dishes, and dine the old fashioned way—dipping your fingers in scented water in between courses to enhance the flavors. This Peace Table features lectures by Nahla Khalil, Professor of Arabic, and her colleague and former student, historian Aviva Ben-Ur.

To accommodate possible time-travel culture shock, modern-day hummus, pita (Middle Eastern bread), and Levantine chopped salad will accompany these resurrected medieval delicacies.

Space is limited, and registration is required. All UMass community members are welcome to RSVP.

Sponsored by the College of Education, the College of Humanities & Fine Arts, the College of Natural Sciences, the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, in collaboration with UMass Dining.