A Tunisian purée of dried red chilies, garlic, spices, and olive oil, worked into a dense, glossy, distinctly hot paste.
Ingredients
- 120 g Tunisian dried red chilies or long dried red chilies
- 4 cloves fresh garlic
- 2 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 80 ml extra-virgin olive oil
Method
- Quickly rinse the dried chilies under cold water to remove any dust, then open them with scissors. Remove the stems and some of the seeds if you want more controlled heat, keeping the membranes that give harissa its character.
- Place the chilies in a large bowl and cover them with very hot water. Set a small plate on top to keep them submerged, then let them swell until soft and fleshy, with a deeper red color.
- Drain the chilies thoroughly and squeeze them between your hands or in a clean kitchen towel. The final paste must be dense, not watery: the chilies should remain moist but no longer drip.
- Heat a small dry skillet over low heat. Add the caraway and coriander seeds, then stir until they are distinctly fragrant and just begin to crackle very lightly, without browning heavily.
- Pound the warm spices in a mortar until you have a coarse, highly aromatic powder. Add the garlic and salt, then crush into a rough paste until the garlic releases its juices and clings to the sides of the mortar.
- Gradually add the drained chilies to the mortar and work them for a long time, crushing them against the sides. The right texture is a thick, fibrous, glossy purée with a little grain remaining, never a thin sauce.
- Incorporate the cumin, then pour in the olive oil a little at a time while continuing to pound. The harissa should loosen, become shiny, and hold in a mound on a spoon.
- Taste cautiously and adjust the salt if necessary. Transfer to a clean jar, pack it down to remove air pockets, smooth the surface, then cover with a thin film of olive oil before closing.
- Let it rest in the refrigerator before using so the garlic, chili, and spices can meld. Serve in small amounts with couscous, grilled meats, bread, eggs, brik pastries, or Tunisian soup.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 208.3 kcal
- Protein
- 1.59 g
- Carbohydrate
- 5.29 g
- Fat
- 20.8 g
- Fibre
- 1.85 g
- Calcium
- 42.52 mg
- Iron
- 1.82 mg
- Magnesium
- 23.36 mg
