Rinse 1 ½ cups dried red lentils well and place in a saucepan with 1 ¾ cups of water. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender, roughly 15 minutes.
Start by adding the cooked lentils and garlic to a food processor and pulsing for at least a minute, scraping the paste from the corners once or twice along the way.
Add the lemon juice, tahini, and sea salt. Blend again, another minute or so. Don’t skimp on the blending time, but stop if the beans form a doughy ball inside the processor.
At this point start adding the whey a splash at a time. Blend, blend, blend, until the hummus is smooth and light, aerated and creamy.
Taste, and adjust to your liking—adding more lemon juice or salt, if needed.
Serve topped with the black sesame seeds, and preferably, a good amount of olive oil, a few drops of toasted sesame oil, lots of chives, and chive blossoms.