What is Harissa Paste made of?
Harissa Paste is a hot aromatic spice blend from North Africa consisting of red chillies, cumin, coriander, caraway, garlic, smoked paprika, salt, fresh garlic, lemon juice and oil. As the blend varies from region to region, you will find some versions containing herbs such as dried mint or oregano.
Is Harissa Paste Hot or Spicy?
Both… but to varying levels. When buying shop-bought Harissa Paste there is no way to tell how spicy the blend will be. Different brands use different chilli types with varying levels of heat. If you are interested in experimenting with harissa in your cooking, it’s best to make your own blend, that way you are in control of which kind of chilli is used and how much you’d like to add.
It also means you can play around with the measurements of additional ingredients such as cumin, paprika or garlic. This allows you to create your own unique blend, perfectly suited to your tastes.
What type of chilli is used for Harissa Paste?
There is a lot of freedom when it comes to choosing the right chilli for your blend. For a milder option, guajillo or ancho chillis are good choices. Normally purchased dried, they will need to be soaked in hot water to rehydrate before blending. If you prefer a bit of a kick then Kashmiri chillies are nice and hot. But don’t be afraid to experiment with other varieties, the choice is yours.
The importance of blanching garlic
As this recipe calls for 2 – 3 whole garlic cloves, if not blanched beforehand you could find yourself overwhelmed with the taste of garlic and not much else. As garlic oxidises, the taste becomes even stronger and can overtake all other flavours to the point where it is unpleasurable. Blanching garlic in water before use stops the oxidisation, takes away the harshness and leaves you with just the wonderful flavour required.
What is Harissa Paste used for?
Harissa is widely used in North African and Middle Eastern cuisines as a condiment, but it is also added to stews, soups, tagines and couscous for spice and flavour. Now popular in Western culture, harissa paste can be used in almost any dish you’d like to add spice and heat – pasta, tomato sauces, meatballs, tacos, burgers, bbq plates, dips, and anything else you can think of.
What is the difference between Harissa Paste and Harissa Sauce?
Harissa Paste is a blend of spices, garlic, lemon juice and a little oil to help make it ‘wet’. It is strong in flavour and therefore best used as a marinade on meat, or blended with sauces or soups to enhance its flavour.
Harrisa Sauce vs Paste
The main difference with Harissa Sauce is the volume. Whole red peppers are roasted and blended with the other ingredients giving it more of a ‘sauce’ consistency which is then served alongside meat and other dishes rather than being used during the cooking process. Below are links to recipes for Harissa Sauce and Harissa Powder, the dry spice-blend version.
Missing ingredients? Keep reading below the recipe to discover substitutes for Harissa
Harissa Paste
Ingredients
- 50 g dried red chillis such as kashmiri
- 2 – 3 large garlic cloves
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- 1 – 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried mint or oregano
- 60 ml olive oil
Instructions
- Soak dried chilies in hot water until they become soft, approximately 30 minutes. Drain and discard water.
- Blanch garlic: Peel garlic cloves and place in a small saucepan. Cover with cold water. Heat until just at boiling point, then drain. Cover again with fresh cold water and repeat the process 2 more times (a total of 3 times).
- Dry roast spice seeds in a pan until fragrant.
- Combine soaked chilies with all other ingredients and using a small coffee grinder or food processor, grind into a paste. If your mixture is a little dry you can add tiny splashes of water to loosen it.
- Store in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Click here to discover recipes using Harissa
What can I use instead of Harissa Paste? Substitutes
You may not have all the ingredients required to make Harissa Paste, but you can find worthy substitutes by combining a few key ingredients. Good substitutes for Harissa Paste are:
- Smokey hot sauce
