Name: Harissa
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Makes about ½ cup
Cuisine: African
Ingredients: 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 6 garlic cloves , minced; 2 tablespoons paprika; 1 tablespoon ground coriander; 1 tablespoon ground dried Aleppo pepper; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 3/4 teaspoon caraway seeds; 1/2 teaspoon salt

Why This Recipe Works

Harissa is a spicy and aromatic paste used both as an ingredient and as a condiment throughout North Africa. The backbone of harissa—chiles—can vary greatly from recipe to recipe. For a condiment that we could make on the fly, we chose a mix of ground dried chiles. Paprika gave the paste a mild, sweet flavor, and Aleppo pepper added a complex fruity flavor with a more slowly building heat than that of red pepper flakes. To the ground chiles we added plenty of garlic and olive oil as well as aromatic spices including coriander, cumin, and anise-like caraway seeds. A dollop of this bright, spicy paste can enliven vegetables, eggs, lamb, and soups such as our Moroccan Chickpea and Lentil Soup (Harira).

Before You Begin

If you can't find Aleppo pepper, you can substitute ¾ teaspoon of paprika and ¾ teaspoon of finely chopped red pepper flakes.

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in bowl and microwave until bubbling and very fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring halfway through microwaving; let cool completely. (Harissa can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.)