Harissa is a hot and spicy Tunisian condiment and can be stored in your fridge for up to six months. Use it with caution as it is very hot!
Harissa
Ingredients
- 125 g dried red chillies
- 10 cloves garlic, chopped
- 15 mls dried mint
- 15 mls coriander seeds
- 15 mls cumin seeds
- 5 mls caraway seeds
- 2.5 mls salt
- 50 mls tomato paste
- 115 mls olive oil
Method
- roughly chop the dried chillies and cover with boiling water
- leave for an hour
- heat your whole spices in a pan and using a spice grinder, blend until fine
- drain the chillies and add them to a food processor
- add the garlic, the mint, the spices, the salt, the tomato paste and 1 tablespoon olive oil
- process until you have a purée and then slowly add the balance of the olive oil
- spoon the paste into a sterilized glass jar and cover the harissa with a thin layer of olive oil
Notes
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
Dave has taken a liking to harissa and there is always a bottle of this in my fridge. Sometimes even two as I now make them using different herbs. You can take a look at my smoked fiery harris that I made using Calabrian chillies. Really, the heat level is up to you. Use mild chillies for a milder version. And super hot ones if you want your palate blown off. I like to add a little bit of this spice blend to some homemade mayonnaise. That to me is the perfect condiment to go with some steamed crayfish tails. Or it can be added to butter and then use the butter to fry prawns. You need to make sure that the butter is frothing before you add the harissa. Then as soon as you can smell the wonderful spices, add your prawns. They need very little time in the pan. When they are pink you can take them out. Drizzle the remaining butter on fluffy rice.
Hmm, not sure my palette will handle this. I do love the combination of ingredients though. Wonder if I could reduce the amount of chillies – do you think it will work?
🙂 Mandy
it is HOT! and I mix mine with yoghurt or mayonnaise. I am sure it will work with less chillies so let me know 🙂
Hi Tandy. I love North African cooking and condiments, as you may see from my blog and style of cooking. Would love to give this a try- my chilli crop has thinned out. Going to see what I can get at the stores. Thanks for this.
it keeps for ages so it is great to have in the fridge for those winter days when chillis are out of season!
We love it and always have a jar in the fridge.
I love adding some to scrambled eggs for a real wake me up!