If you want some spice in your life, then you need to make this spicy and smoky harissa. Harissa is a paste of chilis and spices originating in North Africa. You’ll find many different ways to make it, including blending roasted bell peppers. That method sucks. Go with this reconstituted chili approach and you won’t be disappointed. I love to eat this on sandwiches, on toast with eggs, or rubbed all over veggies. This is spicy, so if you want something mild, go eat a tomato.
- 2 oz dried chilis (arbol, guajillo, ancho, morita).
*I like a mix of hot and smokey chilis. - 2 tbsp cumin seeds
*Don’t use pre-ground cumin powder for this. Save that for when you make chili for someone you hate. - 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cardamon powder
- 1 tbsp aleppo pepper, dried
- 5-6 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup lemon
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp champagne vinegar
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbs smoked paprika
- 1 tbs hot paprika
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
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Directions
- Soak dried chilis in boiling water until soft (~30 minutes). Once soft, drain and rinse with cold water. Remove stems and seeds with your hands and set aside. The seeds can be bitter so try to get most of them out.
- Toast cumin seeds in dry skillet. Don’t skip this step. Pre-ground cumin tastes like sawdust compared to what you get by roasting and grinding the whole seeds. I add the coriander and cardamon right before the cumin seeds are fully toasted. This will brighten their flavor as well. Grind all three spices using a mortar & pestle (video below)
- Using the same skillet, lightly toast the garlic cloves in their skin. Peel and set aside.
- In a food processor, blend the soaked chili skins with lemon juice and vinegar. Once combined, add the tomato paste. While the food processor is running, add honey, garlic cloves and spices. You want it to become a smooth paste. When it looks combined slowly drizzle in the oil while the blade is spinning. This will help the oil combine with the chili paste.
- Store in jar with oil drizzled over the top.
Instructional video