The North African chili paste known as harissa is not only tasty but also an incredibly adaptable sauce. Here you will learn how to put it to use. Make a marinade by combining tomato paste with other spices. Olive oil and fiery peppers, such as serrano or piri piri, are the two primary components of this dish. In North Africa, where it is both commercially produced and commonly prepared at home, harissa sauce is a hugely popular and pervasive condiment. You may buy it in stores or make it yourself. 
In addition, it is frequently used as a marinade for meat and as a component in a variety of dishes, including stews made with meat or fish, couscous, pasta, and soup. There is a wide range of variety in the recipes for harissa sauce. Caraway, coriander, cumin, garlic, lemon juice, and paprika are among the most common ingredients, in addition to the hot peppers and olive oil, that are used in this dish. The sauce lends itself well to experimentation with many kinds of ingredients; it can be made spicy or mild, smokey, salty, or sour according to the individual's preference. Tubes, jars, and cans are the common packaging options for ready-made harissa sauce. Starting with 10 to 12 dried red chili peppers is the first step in making your harissa sauce. The flavor and heat level of the sauce will be determined by the peppers you select to use in it. There is also the possibility of using a mixture of hot and moderate peppers. The most traditional peppers are the piri piri peppers, which are also known as pili pili, peri peri, African red devil, or African bird's eye. 
However, these peppers may be difficult to locate. Chilis from Central and South America, such as serrano, cayenne, and chile de arbol, can also be used to make a tasty and fiery harissa sauce. After rehydrating, the dried chilies in boiling water for half an hour, remove the chilies' seeds and stems, and set them aside. The next step is to chop the chilies and place them in a food processor along with 2 tbsp of olive oil, half a teaspoon of salt, and a few cloves of garlic that have been chopped if desired. Mix in the herbs and spices to impart flavor. According to one recipe, you should use one teaspoon of caraway seeds, one teaspoon of coriander, and one-half teaspoon of cumin. Combine until there are no lumps. The harissa sauce can be stored for up to one month in the refrigerator if it is placed in an airtight container and kept away from light. Before keeping it, dust the surface with a little olive oil to prevent it from becoming overly dry. When you reseal the container, you may need to add a small bit of olive oil to it. There is no reason to restrict the use of harissa sauce in cuisine from the Middle East because it can be consumed on almost anything. You could also try it on breakfast buns, pizza, or sandwiches. It is a common component in the breakfast dish lablabi, which is a stew of chickpeas and bread and is traditionally served in Tunisia. 
As a dip for crudités or anything fried, harissa is one of my go-to condiments. It is delicious when combined with tahini and yogurt and used as a dipping sauce for fresh spring peas. You might also use our harissa Ranch dressing on fried chicken sandwiches, as a dipping sauce for Buffalo wings, or, of course, on any salad. Go ahead and use harissa in its unadulterated form as a condiment if that's what you prefer; however, I typically thin mine out with labne or purée it with crumbled feta, fresh herbs, lemon juice, and olive oil. This dip blends harissa's saline heat with olives, creating a rich orange spread that can be spread over celery sticks or your next sandwich. Olives are an excellent complement to the briny spice of harissa. To get the most out of harissa, rather than using it as a condiment, think of it as a marinade starter kit. This will allow you to tap into its full potential. After all, harissa contains all the elements necessary for a successful sauce, including salt, acid (which can be supplied with lemon juice or is naturally present in the chilies themselves), spices, and fat for the transfer of fat-soluble flavors. You can use it on its own as a marinade, such as in this recipe for lamb (simply replace the herb and spice rub with thick harissa paste), or you can dilute the harissa with yogurt for a more subdued and acidic flavor when using it with chicken. Additionally, it is a perfect choice for meatballs and kofte, contributing both moisture and varied heat to the dish. My go-to uses for harissa sauce do not involve any kind of meat at all, even though it pairs well with chicken and lamb. The essential components are hardy vegetables with a firm texture, such as carrots and turnips; dry heat of high intensity, generated by roasting or grilling; and finishing touches of acid, dairy, or herbs, or all three. 
Roast the cauliflower florets until they are golden brown, then finish with some grated Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon. Toss the cauliflower florets with some concentrated harissa paste and olive oil. You may also apply some harissa to the corn and then grill the cobs while showering them with fresh herbs before serving. Carrots should be covered in harissa before being roasted, and they should be served with a dab of crème Fraiche. You are getting the point. Because it adds spice, depth, and acidity, a dollop of harissa is the ideal way to enliven a tomato sauce that has been boiling for a long time or a pool of liquid that has been used for braising. Shakshuka has previously been discussed, but how about some tender squid with tomatoes and olives that has been braised? You may use a similar procedure for mussels and clams. You could also try something a little bit different with your seafood by combining harissa with a buttery beer sauce to make flavorful and succulent broiled shrimp. The earthy heat of harissa pairs particularly nicely with eggplant and chickpeas. During the warm summer months, I finish a dish consisting of charred eggplant and tomato by adding a generous amount of mint. 
The dish contains harissa. A simple and flavorful stew can be made with chickpeas, tomatoes, eggplant, and harissa when the temperature is cooler. Also, don't forget how well it goes with carrots; utilize it in a puréed soup with carrots and ginger for a heat that is smooth and not overpowering. You certainly can consume your harissa sauce; for all of your juice-cleanse requirements, simply dilute it with warm water and add a squeeze of lemon. Mix it with mezcal, like in this pomegranate drink, where the gently spicy notes of harissa accentuate the natural smolder of the agave. There are an infinite number of uses for harissa sauce, ranging from moist braises to dry-heat cooking methods to ones that make no use of heat at all. It fits in wonderfully with all of them.
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