This is why you should try Harissa Spice in Tunisia

Are you a spicy food lover? Or are you a collector of hot sauces? If your answer is yes, this article is written for you. Allow me to introduce you to the Harissa spice blend taken from our Tunisian cuisine.

If you are a fan of spicy food, Harissa is another blend to add to your next shopping list. As a Tunisian, I used to avoid this spicy blend because it burns the mouth and adds no flavor as I thought. However, recently, I started to develop a habit of trying different delicious spicy blends because of their health benefits. Harissa spice is my discovery in my Tunisian cuisine.

Harissa is often found in a paste form. In Tunisian markets, you can easily get different flavors of Harissa spice.

You may wonder, What Harissa is made of? How does it look like? Are there any health benefits to add this spicy blend to our daily food? Scroll down dear spice lover, you will learn more about our Tunisian Harissa blend.

Harissa is a hot, red, chilly made, spicy blend used in North African cooking. Tunisia is the first country to introduce and to produce Harissa paste. The recipe differs from region to region. This spicy mix usually contains the same ingredients such as dried red chilies, paprika, garlic, cumin, and coriander.

Harissa “your Healthier Hot Sauce”

Here is why this Spicy blend deserves a place in your fridge.

Harissa is a source of minerals and vitamins: it is a rich mixture of vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin B6 iron, manganese, copper, and vitamin K.

Lowers blood pressure: according to recent studies, capsaicin makes blood vessels relax, which could lower blood pressure.

Low in calories: it has no sugar, very little fat, and carbohydrates. Harissa contains only 46 calories per tbsp.

Rich with antioxidants: Harissa is made with onions, garlic, pepper, and olive oil, this mixture is packed with antioxidants.

Metabolism booster: following your meal, you will start to burn more calories. Capsaicin is found in harissa. It helps with weight loss

How to Make Harissa Spice

In less than 10 minutes, you can enjoy your new magical spicy blend.

Ingredients

1 red chili, roughly diced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 garlic clove

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin (ground)

1 tsp coriander (ground)

1 tsp paprika

Method

Throw all of the ingredients into a blender and process it. Place in an air-tight container and store in the fridge for longevity. We tried to provide you with an essay homemade recipe. Do you have a recipe with harissa you think we should know about? Let us know!

Harissa: A must add-in blend to flavor your food

A teaspoon of Harissa spice can transform your sausage into a culinary masterpiece. Harissa can be used in multiple ways in North African cuisines. In Tunisia, this spicy blend mixture is a pioneer in every kitchen. Tunisian women enjoy making their Harissa paste and spice in several traditional ways. Thanks to their rich cultural heritage, Tunisians have inherited many curable blends out of Harissa.

Harissa is a garlicky spice and pastes traditionally served with olive oil along with side bread. Tunisian Harissa is considered to be a spicy Nutella for Tunisians. Here are 5 ways to use the spice paste.

BURGERS: Mix harissa paste into the burger or use it as Ketchup.

SALAD DRESSING: add a spicy flavor to your favorite salad.

PASTA: you can use it in your pasta dishes.

EGGS: harissa is very delicious on a snack sandwich.

HUMMUS: you can mix it or add it into store-bought hummus.

The Story of Harissa

You may wonder about the story behind the Harissa blend. The growing popularity of North African and Persian cuisines has given Harissa a stand out to be a new add-in ingredient in many international cuisines.

The name “Harissa” itself in Arabic gave the spicy blend its real connotation. Originally, Harissa means breaking into pieces or to pound. Tunisia is the first country to produce Harissa. This chilly like powder has been first discovered by the Tunisian housewives who kept trying various traditional blends. To flavor, their food, Tunisians love to use harissa paste or spice in every single dish they prepare.

Most historians think that the harissa paste was first introduced to Africa as a result of the Spanish colonization of Tunisia in 1535-74. Tunisia is the biggest exporter of Harissa. In 2006, the Tunisian production of harissa was 22,000 tonnes.

Within Tunisia, pre-made harissa can be easily purchased in any supermarket or small shop. Pre-made harissa can be bought in canned forms or tubes. Furthermore, harissa can be bought in the form of grounded chili powder in the souk (market).