Harissa aka North-African hot sauce is a type of sauce you can add to every dish to give it a spicy taste. Depending on the peppers that you use it can be milder or very very hot if you go too far like me.
This a basic Harissa recipe is a basic recipe that you can modify to your taste. If you don’t like hot foods you don’t need to use chili peppers which are used in the authentic recipe, you can use any other dry pepper.
INGREDIENTS
60g dry pepper (chili, habanero, carolina ripper etc.)
45g garlic (around 5 clovers)
200ml olive oil
150ml vinegar (white or rice, depends on taste)
3 tbsp cumin seed
2 ½ tbsp coriander seed
2 ½ tbsp fennel seed
1 tbsp caraway seed
1 tbsp salt
PREPARATION
1. White you prepare the other ingredients deseed the dried peppers and put them in a bowl of warm water for around 30 minutes for them to soften up.
2. Heat the frying pan on a medium temperature. When the pan gets warm add the seed of cumin, coriander, fennel and caraway and toast them for around 2 – 3 minutes.
The best way to do this is to put the pan on the stove for 10 seconds with the seeds, and then remove the pan for 30 seconds and let the heated pan do it’s thing. You don’t need to fry the seeds, just toast them so they can release their aroma.
3. After frying the seeds grind them up with a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder if you want to make your life easier.
After that peel the garlic gloves and wait for the 30 minutes to pass for the peppers to soften.
4. After the peppers have softened up, put them into a blender. Add the garlic, salt and vinegar.
The role of the vinegar is to give the Harissa a richer taste and to allow the Harissa to stay good for a longer time. For a more delicious Harissa use white, white wine or rice vinegar.
Blend the ingredients until you get a uniform mass.
5. When the ingredients are all nicely blended gradually add the olive oil.
Pulse until you have added all of the olive oil and about 20 seconds after adding, for the oil to nicely blend.
6. Pour your Harrisa into a jar or a bowl and keep it in the fridge.
The Harissa can stay good for up to 3 – 4 months if you keep it refrigerated.
7. Enjoy
