Learn from the experts how to make harissa.

Hot meals and spicy recipes are everyone’s favorite now and then. You might not be fond of sizzling flavors but you have to admit that you grow tired of your mild bland plates.

Adding flavor and taste to your food is the ultimate goal of the harissa paste. A hot sauce from Tunisia has invaded cuisines around the world and gained the admiration of millions.

If you want to add some scorching heat to your food, impress a friend with new tastes, or simply upgrade your ordinary recipes, then you need to know the secrets of this traditional condiment.

How to make harissa?

Since harissa has gone viral, everyone on the internet is trying to present their versions of the recipe. Well, all roads might have led to Rome for its supremacy and global influence at certain times, but not all methods lead to the perfect harissa sauce.

Different cuisines have appropriated the spice and are making changes to the original recipe and ingredients. This is fine as far as those people are enjoying it. Yet, there is nothing that could equate to an authentic invention.

Tunisians themselves are altering the original recipe as per their likings and their culinary desires. We want to offer you the simplest and most true way of making your homemade harissa paste.

Ingredients:

• Red chili peppers
• Caraway seeds
• Salt as desired
• Garlic

You can choose the quantity you want as per the purpose of use and the number of people to be served. For a medium quantity, you can pick about 500 gm of peppers and twenty to twenty-five garlic cloves.

Note: there are two ways for using chilies for this recipe: you can either use dried peppers or fresh peppers. As for the type of peppers to use it is up to you. Nearly all varieties can be used, just make sure you know how hot they are so that you don’t end up with a paste that cannot be consumed.

If you are looking for a mild harissa paste then you can choose mild peppers, those with a low score on the Scoville scale.

Step by step method of preparation:

The first thing to do is to choose how you want to make your chilies. If they are dry then you simply need to grind them in a food processor. If you picked fresh chilies then you can cook them on steam for no more than 10 minutes and then grind them.

Add the caraway seeds, salt, and peeled garlic to the mix and grind until the blend becomes homogeneous. Caraway seeds can be roasted to eliminate the strong smell and heavy flavor. Three minutes of heating with constant tossing would be enough.

Put the blend in a glass jar and pour olive oil; two tablespoons would be enough if you want to preserve the heat, otherwise, you can add more if you want to obtain a very mild taste.

There are a few ingredients that are usually added to the original list such as cumin and coriander seeds. They do not actually change much in the authentic taste, besides they are rich in antioxidants and valuable nutrients. That’s why it never hearts to include them in the recipe.

If you are still wondering to make harissa then you need to stop. Harissa paste is an easy DIY routine. It doesn’t take much time to prepare, all ingredients are available in all pantries, and it is fun to make. Accept the challenge and enjoy the fragrance while you cook.

What do I use harissa paste for?

Using harissa paste is a matter of personal choice and preferences. Harissa might have gained the label of condiment but it is much more than just a condiment.

In Tunisia, it is used excessively especially in fast foods. It is an essential part of all kinds of sandwiches, the winter famous lablebi, omelets, and quick street dishes.

Otherwise, you can add harissa to any recipe you like from roasted vegetables to fish and chickens. You can also add it to salad dressings and enjoy a bit of heat along with fresh vegetables.

The use is really limitless, be sure you make the most of your spicy paste.