Dip into Israeli Hummus Traditions

Debates rage across the Middle East as to whose brilliant idea it was to blend ground chickpeas with tahini, lemon and garlic to create hummus. But there’s little doubt that the velvety protein-rich dip is an essential element of the Israeli table, which has helped transform a comfort-food staple into a global phenomenon that’s being embraced—and tinkered with—by food cultures around the globe.

“The great thing about hummus is that it’s so...