Easy and Sustainable: Cicerchia hummus recipe from Gut Guntrams

Most gardening enthusiasts are familiar with cicerchia beans because of their pretty flowers and climbing properties. They are also a regional source of protein and an alternative to products such as chickpeas. Like chickpeas, we can process cicerchia beans into hummus. How? The Austrian hotel Gut Guntrams told us.

Cicerchia hummus recipe from Austria

Our partner Gut Guntrams is located near Vienna. It is home to three “floating” garden lofts, a historic villa with cozy vacation apartments, and a modern apartment house – all surrounded by an organic farm with an electric tractor and orchards. The “Guntrams Ark” (NGO) is committed to preserving old fruit varieties and biodiversity. That’s why, there is also a small private nature museum and the “Edelmacherei” – where, for example, the salt lemons used in this recipe are preserved.

Are cicerchia beans poisonous?

You may have heard that cicerchia is a poisonous plant and are therefore wondering about this hummus. It is true that Lathyrus sativus – the botanical name for cicerchia – is slightly poisonous. You can read on Wikipedia how there have historically been cases of the disease “lathyrism”, which resulted from people in some areas eating almost exclusively cicerchia. The regional beans are therefore not suitable as staple food. However, experts consider the legume from the garden completely safe for occasional consumption. The German University of Giessen classifies it as “edible”, “harmless” and “suitable for nutrition” in the “Biology of Legumes”. So as long as you don’t eat this hummus exclusively (even if it’s hard ?? ) you don’t need to worry.

IMPORTANT: Do not use cooking water from cicerchia
Nevertheless, you should exercise caution when preparing the dried beans and not use either the soaking water or the cooking water afterward.

Cicerchia hummus is sustainable

If you can source cicerchia from your immediate region (Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece, etc.), they have a smaller ecological footprint than chickpeas, which are mainly imported from the Far East. The plant is also ideal for organic cultivation, as it is very undemanding and spreads quickly (almost weed-like).