All through the summer I watched as my assorted chili plants struggled to come into their own. At first it looked as if the bugs might get the better of them, with little more than stems leftover after repeated overnight feastings. Then a strange fungus seemed to veil my plants with a sad gray pallor. All the while my plants clung to life, and my chili loving heart clung to the faint hope of a bountiful crop of red ripe chili peppers some day, the likes of which I’d seen other gardens in the vicinity enjoy.
Well my friends that day has finally come. My plants are now healthy and full of fruit. And the chilis are ripening faster than I can possibly keep up with! I’ve been scrambling for creative ways to use them.
Enter Harissa, a spiced Turkish chili sauce (paste) that is fast becoming all the rage in chili sauce circles. Harissa goes with a lot of things, as a condiment for meats and sandwiches or an additive to soups and stews. Move over Sriracha, there’s a new sauce in town. And you can make it at home in just five easy steps.
5 Step Harissa Sauce:
- 2 cups fresh hot red chili peppers (serranos or jalapenos)
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1/2 freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
Step one: Roast the chili peppers
Arrange the whole red chili peppers in a single layer on a roasting pan, lined with foil. Toss chilies lightly with oil and roast in a hot oven until they are slightly charred (less than 10 minutes). Allow to cool, then chop, removing as many of the loose seeds as you are able.
Step 2: Dry roast and grind the spices.
Place a dry frying pan over low heat and lightly toast the coriander, cumin, and caraway seeds for about two minutes or until fragrant. Remove them to a mortar and use a pestle to grind to a powder.
Step 3: Caramelize the veggies
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over med/low heat, and slowly fry the onions and garlic until almost fully caramelized, approximately 10-12 minutes.
When the onions and garlic are deeply golden, add the ground spices, the chopped roasted red chilies and the tomato pasted to the pan. Continue to mix and fry until the ingredients meld together and the aromas unfold. Allow to cool.
Step 4: Pulverize into a paste
Use a blender or a food processor to pulverize the paste ingredients until smooth, adding the salt and lemon juice (watch for seeds) to taste, and a little more oil if needed for consistency.
Step 5: Voila!
Store in a sterilized jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or even longer
Store in a sterilized jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or even longer. I will probably portion some out to freeze as well.
Seeds, Weeds, and Dirty Deeds 