Hummus, a spread made from chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic, is one of the most popular and contested dishes in the world. Its name simply means 'chickpea' in Arabic. The earliest known recipes for a dish resembling hummus appear in 13th-century Egyptian cookbooks. Today, it is a staple throughout the Middle East, leading to the 'Hummus Wars,' a friendly but intense rivalry between countries like Lebanon and Israel over who can claim the dish as their own and who can produce the world's largest serving. Nutritionally, hummus is a powerhouse; the combination of legumes (chickpeas) and seeds (sesame tahini) creates a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids.