Hummus is made by mashing cooked chickpeas with sesame paste (tahini), lemon juice, garlic and a little olive oil. The result is smooth and creamy, the colour of pale sand. It is scooped up with warm pita bread - a flat, soft bread that you tear open like a pocket.
Falafel is made by mashing uncooked chickpeas with herbs and spices, shaping the mix into little balls, and frying them until they are crisp and golden outside, soft and green inside. They are usually stuffed into a pita with salad, hummus and pickles, then drenched in tahini sauce.
Both dishes are eaten all across the Middle East - in Israel, but also in countries like Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Jordan. People in every country argue about who makes the best version. It is a friendly argument: the answer is usually 'my grandma's'.
Hummus and falafel are also vegetarian, cheap and very filling, which is why they are everyone's favourite quick lunch in Israel. Children eat them on the way to school, builders eat them at lunchtime, and almost every caf茅 will serve them with a smile.