Quick Harissa Sauce

Use on fish. First, season it with salt and pepper, smear on the paste, and place it in the oven to roast. You can also massage it on chicken and throw it on the grill or use it to spice up your side dishes, like harissa carrot salad. You can also use it to make harissa hummus.

Harissa is a spicy North African chili pepper sauce. It is pounded into a paste, hence its name, which means “to pound” in Arabic, which has gained global popularity in recent years. Additionally, its unique blend of flavors and heat makes it an ideal condiment for dishes ranging from couscous to roasted vegetables.

It originated from the Maghreb, Northwest Africa, primarily from Tunisia, although many variations have developed throughout the region. The Maghreb comprises Arabic countries and territories such as Marocco, Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, Mauritania, and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

Some make it super spicy, and some have a little kick. Its taste combines savory, smokey, and peppery paste-like sauce with a hint of spices in the background. Harissa recipes vary greatly, but most typically include red peppers, garlic, coriander, cumin, caraway seeds, olive oil, salt, and sometimes tomatoes or other ingredients such as lemon juice or honey.

If made in the Maghreb region, more than likely, they will use Baklouti, a pepper from that region. In addition, This pepper is smoked, pounded into a paste, and mixed with garlic, cumin, caraway, coriander, and olive oil.

The Scoville scale also classifies harissa as medium-hot to hot depending on the type and quantity of chilis used. Despite its spiciness, harissa remains incredibly versatile and can easily adjust according to individual preferences.

In addition, experienced chefs often combine spices and herbs to create their signature versions. You will also likely find this paste at your local Middle-Eastern, African, Mediterranean, Halal, and Kosher markets. Additionally, I’ve even noticed it now at Trader Joe’s.

Both of these are spicy pepper pastes but come from different regions. For example, Zhug is a green hot pepper paste from Yemen in the Middle East, and Harissa, a red hot pepper paste, is from the Maghreb region in North Africa.

Harissa traditionally uses Baklouti peppers, while zhug uses hot green chilies. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the pepper name used in Yemen. In addition, if you know, please leave a comment. But most recipes will call for Jalapenos or Serrano chilies. Check out my quick zhug sauce recipe!

Zesting is peeling only the skin of the citrus fruit without the white flesh, referred to as pith. In fact, the skin contains aromatic oils and is an excellent addition to recipes to intensify the flavors of a dish.

In addition, a fine grater is the most convenient way to obtain the zest of the citrus fruit, usually referred to as zester or a Microplane. Learn More at Cook's Notebook: Zesting.

To begin with, Preheat the grill. Then, place whole bell peppers on a heated grill. Allow it to char and blister (about 1 to 2 minutes) on each side of the bell pepper. Once 80% covered in char. Then, remove from the heat, immediately place in a glass or metal bowl, and cover with plastic wrap.

Next, allow it to steam in the bowl for 2 to 3 minutes. This will help release the charred skin from the pulp of the bell peppers. Then, remove the plastic wrap, peel the charred skin, and discard. The peppers might still be hot, and you might want to use tongs or gloves. Finally, cut the bell pepper in half and remove the seeds, stem, and white ribs.

Use the oven broiler setting (Preheat and Use at Medium Heat to 450 degrees). Afterward, place the bell peppers on a roasting rack and sheet pan, and put the pan on the middle rack of the oven. Rotate the bell peppers when charred on one side (about 2 to 3 minutes).

Once 80% is covered in char, remove it from the oven, place it in a metal or glass bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap. Allow sitting for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the steam to separate from the skin. Then, remove the plastic wrap and peel the skin off. Discard charred skin. Finally, cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds, white ribs, and stem.

Not actually. When a recipe calls to deseed hot peppers to control the heat level, you must remove the rib, pith, white flesh of the pepper, which holds most of the capsaicin oils.