Is hummus a condiment

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Is hummus a condiment? What makes a condiment a condiment? What makes something not a condiment? What makes something a condiment vs a sauce/seasoning/spread/ingredient?



Best Answer

Interesting question. While I realize that dictionaries are descriptive, they're what we have to go by for common usage, so let's consult three:

  • Wikipedia: A condiment is a spice, sauce, or preparation that is added to food to impart a particular flavor, to enhance its flavor,1 or in some cultures, to complement the dish. The term originally described pickled or preserved foods, but has shifted meaning over time.
  • Merriam-Webster: something used to enhance the flavor of food; especially : a pungent seasoning
  • Cambridge: a substance, such as salt, that you add to food to improve its taste

Given that Hummus is usually treated as a food in itself, rather than as a spice or sauce to enhance another food, one could argue that it's not a condiment. However, it's not uncommon for veggie burger purveyors to top a sandwich with hummus, which would, in usage, make it a condiment. Certainly tahini sauce would be a condiment.

So, my answer: It Depends.




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Quick Answer about "Is hummus a condiment"

“Anything that can be eaten on its own — like a standalone dish — doesn't count as a condiment. Hummus isn't a condiment because you can eat it as a standalone thing.

What is considered a condiment?

A condiment is a supplemental food, such as a sauce or powder, that is added to some foods to impart a particular flavor, enhance its flavor, or, in some cultures, to complement the dish, but that cannot stand alone as a dish.

Is a dip a condiment?

A dip or dipping sauce is a common condiment for many types of food.

What are examples of condiment?

Some condiments are used during cooking to add flavor or texture: barbecue sauce, compound butter, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, Marmite and sour cream are examples. Many condiments, such as mustard or ketchup, are available in single-serving packets, commonly when supplied with take-out or fast-food meals.

What are the 7 condiments?

7 Condiments To Always Keep in Your Kitchen
  • Quality Olive Oil. I studied abroad in Spain during college, and if I only learned one thing it is this: olive oil goes on anything. ...
  • Balsamic Vinegar. Another kitchen basic, this vinegar is olive oil's best friend. ...
  • Sriracha. ...
  • Honey Dijon Mustard. ...
  • Ketchup. ...
  • Soy Sauce. ...
  • Nutella.




How to Make Hummus That's Better Than Store-Bought - Easy Hummus Recipe - Updated




More answers regarding is hummus a condiment

Answer 2

Beside the dictionary answers, I think is quite reasonable to think of condiments as those products that

  • impart tastes to food as well as nutritional values but are not easily or pleasant to consume alone;

  • impart taste but are of negligible nutritional relevance.

Among the first examples are oil and butter, among the second ones mustard and salt.*

This way hummus is food, a spread as a confiture or honey. This is my way to see.

*Edit Obviously salt is necessary for the organism but we normally get more than enough from food and drinks so the amount we add to taste is indeed a condiment. I am aware that seems circular reasoning but I am confident the "definitions" I gave above are quite clear.

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