A common ingredient in North African cuisine, a spicy paste made from chilies, caraway seeds, coriander seeds and garlic
Harissa is a common ingredient in North African recipes
Ingredients
- 2-oz mildly hot dried chilies (eg Guajillo)
- 2-oz mild dried chilies (eg Anaheim)
- 5-cloves garlic, peeled
- 2-tbsp water
- 2-tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½-tsp freshly ground caraway seeds
- ¼-tsp freshly ground coriander seeds
- 1 ½-tsp salt
- Extra virgin olive oil, for topping off
Instructions
- Soak the dried chilies in water to cover until softened, about 45 minutes to 1 hour
- Drain and remove the stems and seeds
- Place in a blender or food processor with the garlic, water, and olive oil and process until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides
- Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and stir in the caraway, coriander, and salt
- Store in a jar, covering the surface of the paste with a layer of olive oil
- Whenever the paste is used you must always top off with olive oil making sure no paste is exposed to air otherwise it will spoil
Variation
To make a hot harissa, use 4-oz dried Guajillo chilies and 1/2-oz dried chile de Arbol