A lottery millionaire bets on chickpea paste to continue his good fortune, setting up shop in the little Arab town where he grew up.

The predominantly Arab town of Abu Ghosh in the scenic hills west of Jerusalem is known for its world-class hummus, the creamy chickpea paste that's central to Mideast cuisine. The town has 15 restaurants, almost all specializing in the stuff. But perhaps the most famous one is the Abu Ghosh Restaurant, opened in 1993 by Jaodat Ibrahim.

Last January, Ibrahim decided to go for a world's record. As verified by a Guinness Book of World Records representative, he prepared enough hummus to fill a large satellite dish. The paste weighed almost 9,000 pounds, edging out a Beirut restaurant for the title.

Ibrahim started his business after winning the lottery in Chicago, and chose to invest his winnings in the place where he'd grown up. The strategy paid off. His restaurant gets about 15,000 patrons on weekends, especially Saturdays when most Israeli restaurants are closed for Shabbat.