Harissa and Spice Talk

HarissaI have been meaning to write about Harissa for a while. Given my obsession with cumin and cilantro, let’s face it, Harissa is made for me.

Harissa is a Tunisian spice sauce that is almost a catch all for a lot of their dishes. As with all catch all spices there are variations to the basic theme. Some like it very spicy so they add more cayenne pepper. Others mint. Yet others both cilantro and mint. Yes, herb obsessed people like me.

My Harissa Story

There are so many moving parts sitting around in the recipe archives. Lots of loose things waiting to be sorted in an effort to merge what are now two folders – Cooking in Westchester and Spice Chronicles.

Since, it is a while since I did post a spice blend or mixture, I will take the time to answer some of the questions that get on spices. After all, with the weather getting cooler, it is indeed the season for sugar and spice. In no particular order, here are three questions that I get asked so frequently.

In the blender

  1. How long can I keep my spices?

A good rule of thumb that I like to stick to is 18 months for whole spices, 6 months for ground spices.

  1. How do you store your spices?

In an air tight container in a cool dry place, while I love the masaladani or the Indian spice container, it is more practical to store longer term spices in clear or plastic jars.

  1. Are there some essential spices we can get started with?

I think that this does have a personal element, however, I recommend the essential 7 that I have discussed in the Spices and Seasons book, namely cumin, coriander, cilantro, ginger, garlic, turmeric and cayenne pepper.

Now, back to Harissa, it is essentially a red chili paste most prominent in Tunisian and Moroccan cuisines. It is the Sriracha, Tandoori Masala and Garam Masala of spices all meshed into one happy family. My version is almost fruity in its flavor notes and generously uses all the greens of cilantro and mint. I particularly enjoy using it for grilling fish or chicken.

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Harissa and Spice Talk

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

A recipe for the classic Tunisian Spice paste called Harissa.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup dried red cayenne peppers
  • 20 mild red chilies such as the Byadgi or Ancho Chilies (also Dried)
  • 11/2 tablespoons cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon chopped mint (optional)

Instructions

  1. Soak the chilies with ½ cup warm water for 15 minutes. Drain and reserve the water.
  2. In the meantime, toast the cumin and coriander seeds. Grind to a powder in a coffee grinder.
  3. Place the chilies, ground spices, garlic, salt and olive oil with a little water in a blender and grind to a paste.
  4. Add in the chopped cilantro and the mint and pulse a few times. Use some more water if needed.
  5. Store the mixture in the refrigerator and use as needed.
https://spicechronicles.com/harissa-spice-talk/

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