Harissa Paste - Morocco
Author: Shelley Bennetts Date Posted:13 May 2019
This fiery Moroccan paste is a mixture of roasted capsicum, hot red chillies, garlic, ground cumin, fresh coriander, salt and olive oil. It can be used as a condiment or as an ingredient in cooking. How fiery depends of course on the chillies you use.
Harissa can be used as a side dish to accompany a main meal, mixed with olives for a spicy bread-dipping starter, cooked with poached eggs in traditional Moroccan shakshuka or used as a marinade or baste for your choice of meat or fish.
Ingredients (makes 1 1/2 cups)
1 large red capsicum
250 g small hot red chillies, stalks removed, roughly chopped (or use milder long red chillies for a less fiery result)
½ preserved lemon
1 large garlic clove
1½ tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
1 tbsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt
live oil, to cover
To Make
Preheat oven to 180˚C. Place capsicum on an oven tray lined with baking paper and roast for 40-50 minutes, turning every 10 minutes, or until browned and softened. Set aside to cool.
Mince the roast capsicums, chillies, preserved lemon and garlic by hand or pulse in a food processor. Mix with the coriander, cumin and salt until well combined.
Let the mixture stand for 1 hour, then transfer to a preserving jar and cover with oil. Store indefinitely in the refrigerator.
Recipe by Hassan M’Souli from Out of Africa, Sydney