Refuge recipes: harissa

Our lamb shawarma has somewhat garnered cult status, but have you ever given a thought to what comes alongside it? Well, now’s the time. On this blog, we’re giving a shout-out to harissa, the fiery and fragrant North African pepper and chilli paste.

On that plate of shawarma, harissa packs a flavour punch in contrast to the cooling yoghurt. But at home, you could use it to marinate fish, meat or halloumi, or even perk up some crème fraîche to make a snazzy dip.

Harissa recipe

Makes 200g

Ingredients

500g red peppers, stalks and seeds removed
75g red chillies, stalks removed
35g caraway seeds
15g cumin seeds
50g garlic cloves, peeled
200ml vegetable oil
15g caster sugar
15ml rose water
5g table salt

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 150°C fan/gas mark 3.
2. Place everything into a deep ovenproof dish, then cover with foil. Roast two hours or until the peppers and chillies are soft and broken down.
3. Blend in batches in a food processor to form a smooth paste – it’ll keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.