Harissa Paste

Harissa is a hot chilli paste that is commonly used in North African cooking, mainly Moroccan, Algerian, and Tunisian cuisine. It is added to couscous, soups, pastas and other recipes.

Ingredients

10-12 dried red chilli
1 red bell pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1⁄2 teaspoon cumin
juice of half a lemon
salt to taste

Instructions

Soak the dried chillies in hot water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain them and remove stems and seeds.
Pierce a fork in the bell pepper and roast it directly on the flames from all sides, till it turns black (you can apply little oil on the pepper). Put it under water and scrape out the black skin. Take out seeds and chop it coarsely.
Blend the chillies, pepper, salt, and olive oil in a food processor.
Add the remaining spices, lemon juice and blend to form in a smooth paste.

Recipe Notes

Store the paste in an airtight container. Add a small amount of olive oil on top to keep it fresh. The paste can be kept for a month in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Container

Calories 346

Total Fat 30g

Total Carbohydrate 9.6g

Protein 0.6g