Hummus much more than dip

I had always thought of hummus as a healthful but simple dip, eaten as an appetizer or snack or in a pita sandwich — until my Israeli friends turned me on to the glories of the hummus plate.

They spread a generous amount of the creamy puree on a dish, then top it with any number of satisfying things: sliced hard-cooked egg, chickpeas or fava beans, chopped herbs, pine nuts, seasoned ground beef or sauteed mushrooms and onions, plus a drizzle of good olive oil.

Served as a main course with warm pita alongside, hummus becomes the base for a variety of inspiring and easy meals. The accompanying recipe is a nod to the ever-so-common hummus and baby-cut carrots, prepared and plated so it makes for an extraordinary lunch or dinner. The carrots are roasted whole, with a hint of cumin, salt and pepper, until they are firm-tender and browned. That simple step concentrates their flavor and makes them meaty.

Then they are placed, either hot or at room temperature (so you can make them ahead if you’d like), atop a landscape of homemade hummus. You can use store-bought if you prefer, but it is astoundingly easy to make your own, and it is well worth the small effort for the fresh, ultra-creamy flavor and texture of it.

A finishing garnish with some of the carrot greens adds an intense carrot flavor and welcoming color to the dish. A sprinkle of toasted sunflower seeds provides crunchy contrast. The result is a hummus-carrot combo that is more luxurious and fulfilling than you ever imagined the duo could be.

Hummus Plate With Cumin-Roasted Carrots

4 servings.

Feel free to use a good-quality store-bought chickpea-tahini spread to make the dish even easier. From nutritionist and cookbook author Ellie Krieger.

MAKE AHEAD: The carrots and homemade hummus can be refrigerated, separately, in airtight containers for up to 3 days.

For the carrots:

Two 1-pound bunches of small carrots, greens attached

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

4 teaspoons toasted sunflower seeds

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the hummus:

1 small clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

One 15-ounce can no-salt-added chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons tahini

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

3 tablespoons water

For the carrots: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Cut the greens off the carrots, leaving about 1 inch of stem attached. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the greens; wash and/or coarsely chop them to use as a garnish.

Peel the carrots; cut any large ones in half lengthwise. Place the carrots on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil; sprinkle with cumin, salt and pepper; then toss to coat evenly. Roast until tender-firm and a little shiny, about 20 minutes. (For more of a roasted look, allow 10 to 20 more minutes’ oven time.) Let the carrots cool slightly, then drizzle them with the lemon juice.

Meanwhile, make the hummus: Use the flat side of a chef’s knife to repeatedly mash together the garlic and salt, forming a coarse paste. Transfer it to a food processor; add the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, cumin and water; puree until smooth.

To serve, smear each of 4 serving plates with hummus (a heaping 1/3 cup on each). Arrange the roasted carrots on top; they may be served warm or at room temperature. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds, then drizzle each portion with 1/2 teaspoon of the extra-virgin olive oil. Garnish with the reserved greens.

Nutrition Per serving: 310 calories, 9 g protein, 37 g carbohydrates, 15 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 590 mg sodium, 10 g dietary fiber, 9 g sugar