Harisa (hot Chili Paste)
Ingredients
- 2 ounces mildly hot dried Guajillo chili peppers
- 2 ounces mild dried Anaheim chili peppers
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground caraway seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground coriander seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- extra virgin olive oil for topping off
Instructions
Soak the peppers in tepid water to cover until softened, about 45 minutes to 1 hour . Drain and remove the stems and seeds. Place in a blender or food processor with the garlic, water, and olive oil and process until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and stir in the caraway, coriander, and salt. Store in a jar and top off, covering the surface of the paste with a layer of olive oil. Whenever the paste is used you must always top off with olive oil making sure no paste is exposed to air otherwise it will spoil. Variation: To make a hot harisa, use 4 ounces dried guajillo chili peppers and 1/2 ounce dried de Arbol peppers. Note: To make salsa al-harisa, that is, harisa sauce, used as an accompaniment to grilled meats, stir together 2 teaspoons harisa, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves. Makes 1 cup
