If there is one thing I always have to have in my fridge it’s harissa. You can buy Harissa in small jars in delis and supermarkets, but making your own is so much cheaper and so much better. And it’s quick and easy peasy. Once you’ve made your own you will never buy it in the shops again.

Quantities

It can be easily multiplied, so I usually make it with 10 chillis to make it worthwhile. If you are multiplying work out the ml, as this makes it quicker than trying to scoop out 10 teaspoons (50ml), then just use bigger measuring cups.

Origins

Originating from Maghreb (North Western Africa – Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Libya and Mauritania), as with all of these things it varies by region and household. Some recipes call for Roasted Peppers as the main ingredient, whereas others are red chillis. You could toast the spices for more depth of flavour. To make Rose Harissa just add a dash of rosewater. You can also make it to your liking. I do put caraway seeds in it. You could use hotter chillis if you want, but it is pretty ferocious with your normal red chillis. If you’ve got some chillis going a bit dehydrated just chuck them in, they’ll be fine.

Storage

The harissa will store in the fridge for weeks in an airtight container, so make plenty.

Use

Harissa makes good friends with couscous, lamb, goat, feta, aubergine.

For couscous just stir it into the boiling water when you soak the couscous and add some chopped dried apricots and Isle of Wight cherry tomatoes.

Make a dip by simply stirring it through yoghurt, then use pitta chips to nibble and share.

You can also use the dip as a marinade for chicken, goat or lamb joints or kebabs or even use it on your roast dinner. If you have vegetarian guest you can even marinade squash or aubergine for your harissa for a main course with the same recipe.

One of our favourite ways to serve is slow cooked shoulder of lamb or goat in the oven or BBQ, with a coating of harissa and yoghurt. Serve with couscous soaked in hot chicken stock and more harissa, mix in some feta cheese, once it’s soaked and garnish with pomegranate seeds. For a quicker dinner use lamb or goat cutlets.

At It’s About Thyme we make our ‘Humphrey’ sausage rolls for the deli with our butcher’s sausage meat, harissa and apricots. Why Humphrey? Well North Africans don’t eat pork, so I thought Casablanca? Humphrey Bogart. We also use it in our Lamb, Harissa and Pine Nut Pasties.

Recipe

Ingredients

1 red chilli
1 clove garlic peeled (just chuck them in, ignore my old recipe notes!)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil (I use Willy’s Extra Virgin or Isle of Wight Tomatoes Greek Olive Oil)
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp caraway seeds (I don’t bother grinding them, as I like the texture it gives)
1/2 tsp ground cumin

Throw them all into a small food processor. (If you are making a batch you can use a normal size food processor bowl). Turn it on and let it go. The ingredients will change colour from dark brown to a orangey pinky red. The consistency is up to you.

Store it in an airtight container or jar in the fridge. It would probably be ok outside of the fridge, but will last longer in it. It will slightly solidify in the fridge, so just take it out a couple of minutes before you want to use it it.

Happy blitzing!