Hypoallergenic Spicy Garlic Dip

Spicy garlic dip with rice crackers.  This dip is also good on bread
or with tortilla chips 

     Commercial dips are generally off limits to folks with a lot of food allergies: they tend to consist mostly of soybean oil flavored with dairy and corn products, vinegar (corn, yeast), and chemicals of unspecified origin. Fortunately, it is easy to make excellent dips containing none of these allergens. This one is inspired by muhammara, a classic Middle Eastern walnut-garlic dip. 


     Note that some people who are allergic to nuts and/or peanuts are also allergic to sunflower seeds.  Ask your allergist if you're not sure.

     1 small onion

     10 cloves garlic

     ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (See Juice in the Glossary)

     ½ cup water

     1 tsp. red pepper (See Spices in the Glossary)

     1 tsp. paprika (See Spices in the Glossary)

     1 tsp. salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     2 Tb. oil (See Oil in the Glossary)

     1-1/4 c. raw sunflower seeds

     Put all the ingredients except the oil and sunflower seeds into a blender, in the order given. Heat the oil and sunflower seeds in a small pan on medium high, stirring constantly, until the seeds start to brown.  Scoop them directly into the blender (do not allow them to sit in the heated pan until they scorch!) Blend thoroughly; add a bit more water if you need to, to get the mixture to blend properly. 

 Variation: Replace the sunflower seeds with the same amount of pumpkin seeds. Note that some people who are allergic to nuts and/or peanuts are also allergic to pumpkin seeds.  Ask your allergist if you're not sure.

Spicy garlic dip made with pumpkin seeds