Harissa Seasoning is a versatile ingredient that can be used to spice up many different dishes. It is a great addition to stews, soups, vegetables and kebabs. It can also be used as a marinade for meat or fish.
Easily made at home, this recipe uses only ingredients you likely already have in your pantry! You’ll need chili peppers, roasted red peppers, garlic, spices and extra virgin olive oil.
First you’ll rehydrate your dried chiles in hot water before adding them to a food processor along with the roasted red peppers, tomato paste and spices. Next, add the lemon juice and vinegar and blend into a paste.
Once the mixture has been blended into a smooth paste, you’ll want to pour in some extra virgin olive oil near the end. This will create a creamy, thick sauce. If you prefer a thinner consistency, omit the oil and use more water instead.
This can be used in many different ways, including as a marinade or as a dip for hummus or chips. It is also excellent sprinkled over salads and vegetables or incorporated into a creamy sauce like tahini.
It’s available in many forms including as a powder, a paste and as a sauce. The paste version is the most popular and is generally made with ground chiles, garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika and caraway seeds.
You can find it in a variety of stores and online. It comes in both a hot and mild version. It can be used as a rub for chicken and lamb or added to a tahini sauce, like in this recipe.
The hot version has more of a kick but can be sweet or smoky depending on the type of chilies you use and how long it is simmered. It’s a wonderful condiment to use when cooking on the stovetop and it works especially well with low-and-slow dishes such as lamb tagine.
If you’re not sure what kind of chiles to use in this recipe, it’s best to start with one that has a good heat to it and then tinker with the other options until you get a consistency that works for you. This will allow you to create the perfect recipe.
Once you have the chiles soaked in hot water, you can then seed and remove the stems before adding them to a food processor along roasted red peppers, seasoned with spices and ground with a little extra virgin olive oil. Once all the ingredients have been mashed into a paste, you can add some lemon juice and oil to create a smooth, creamy sauce.
There are so many different uses for this spice mix, it can be incorporated into a wide range of recipes and is great to keep in the cupboard for up to 2 months. It can be used as a spice rub for chicken, beef or lamb and is ideal for making dips and sauces, such as hummus.