Harissa- Tunisian hot pepper paste

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The day my mom made Harissa in the kitchen was a very busy day. Like in a manufacturing line at a factory, there were “stations” in the kitchen of red peppers, soaked in water, drained peppers, spices, a grinding station and the “final destination”- distribution and freezing.

It’s not a paste that you make a small batch of. Since there is so much you can do with Harissa, I always have a jar in hand in my fridge.

It’s an excellent starter for many dishes, a wonderful addition to many Moroccan salads or as a picante spread to spice up sandwiches.

  • 1 pack dried hot peppers  (about 3-4 cups)

  • 5 garlic cloves 

  • About ¾ c oil 

  • 1 tbsp salt

  • 1 tbsp coriander 

  1. Take the stem off the peepers and soak them in hot water for an hour or more. 

  2. Drain. Put in a good processor and the garlic and spices together with ¼ c oil. 

  3. Start processing and add more oil only till you get the consistency of paste (leave some of the oil for covering). Fix seasoning. 

  4. Transfer to a container and cover with oil. Refrigerate or freeze. 

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Basic Tahini Sauce