Harissa

This Tunisian original is a hot sauce made with chillies, garlic and other spices, and is the traditional accompaniment to couscous. It is also used to add extra flavor to stews and soups. In my version, I add roasted red or green capsicum for a little more punch.

Ingredients

1 red capsicum (bell pepper)
1 big clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno (this will be hot! To tone down the heat, use 3-4 regular green or red chillies)
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
Salt to taste

Method

Rub the capsicum and jalapeno with a little oil and roast over an open flame until the outer skin is blistered and blackened. Alternatively, place the vegetables on aluminum foil and grill in the oven under the broiler/grill. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes. When cool, peel away the blackened skin and roughly chop.

Place capsicum, jalapeno or chillies, garlic and salt in a blender and whiz to a smooth paste. Add spices and olive oil and blend. The harissa will stay up in the fridge up to 4 weeks – just remember to cover the top with a little olive oil and store in an airtight container.