Harissa is a North African chilli paste — fiery, aromatic and considerably more interesting than a generic hot sauce. It's built around rehydrated dried red chillies with toasted caraway, coriander and cumin seeds, garlic and olive oil. The result is a deeply flavoured paste that works as a marinade, a condiment, a soup stirrer, and an instant way to liven up almost anything on the hob.

Homemade harissa paste recipe — dried chillies, caraway and coriander seeds – The Flexible Chef

This homemade harissa paste recipe is simple to make and keeps well in the fridge. The only patience required is in the toasting — don't rush it, and don't burn the seeds.

The Harissa Paste Recipe

Ingredients

• 75g dried red chillies, rehydrated in boiling water until soft — drain but reserve the soaking liquid
• ½ tsp coriander seeds, toasted
• ½ tsp caraway seeds, toasted
• ½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• A pinch of sea salt
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh lemon juice
• Optional: a few sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

Method

1. Dry-fry the coriander, caraway and cumin seeds in a pan over a medium heat until fragrant. Don't burn them. Leave to cool completely, then grind to a powder in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder.
2. Stem the rehydrated chillies and remove most or all of the seeds depending on how much heat you want.
3. Add the chillies, garlic, ground seeds, salt and a squeeze of lemon juice to a blender. Drizzle in olive oil slowly while blending until a paste forms. If it needs loosening, add a little of the reserved soaking liquid.
4. If you have sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, add a few now — they add a rich, jammy depth to the finished paste.
5. Decant into a sterilised jar and top with a slick of olive oil. Keeps for several weeks in the fridge.

What to do with it

Harissa works well beyond North African cooking. Use it as a marinade base for chicken or lamb, stir a spoonful into a soup or stew, or add it to a curry sauce when you want heat with complexity rather than just heat. The Spiced Beef Mince with Couscous on this site is a natural pairing — a spoonful of harissa stirred through the mince before serving adds exactly the right kind of fire.

For a simple side, try harissa carrots — an idea I first picked up from Nigel Slater years ago. Blanch young carrots whole until tender, then while they're still warm, dress them with a mix of mashed garlic, an egg yolk, olive oil, a splash of white wine vinegar, a teaspoon of Dijon, and a good spoonful of this harissa. A proper side dish alongside almost anything off the grill.

This homemade harissa paste recipe is part of my Spice Blends & Condiments collection. Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef