Harissa

Description

Homemade harissa is very easy to make. How spicy you make it is up to you. I use a combination of New Mexico and Anaheim chili peppers, which are both on the mild spectrum of the Scoville scale, but you can pick hotter chili varieties if preferred.

Ingredients

  • 3 ½ ounces large dried red chili peppers
  • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or more as desired
  • 4 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt, or more to taste

Instructions

  1. Break up chile peppers. Remove the stems and seeds and discard. Wear disposable gloves if working with medium-hot or hot peppers.
  2. Place chile peppers in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak until softened
  3. 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well
  4. then dab dry with paper towels.
  5. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over very low heat and cook garlic until soft but still pale
  6. about 3 minutes. Let cool
  7. then transfer to the food processor together along with chile peppers.
  8. Toast caraway seeds
  9. cumin seeds
  10. and coriander seeds in the skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant
  11. 2 to 3 minutes. Crush them in a mortar and add to the food processor. Process while slowly adding remaining olive oil
  12. scraping down the sides of the food processor as needed. Season with salt.
  13. Spoon harissa into a sterilized glass jar and level the top. Add enough olive oil so the surface is covered and the harissa won’t dry out. Seal and refrigerate.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 5 mins

Total Time: 30 mins

Servings: 16

Leave a Comment