California Harissa

Harissa is the traditional Maghreb hot sauce used to season couscous, soups, sauces, really anything that needs some complexity and kick. The Moroccan peppers and herbs used to flavor the authentic sauce aren't widely available here on the west coast US, but these ingredients are! This Americanized harissa is great mixed into yogurt sauces, rice, or just spread on toast.

• Ready In: 48 mins
• Yields: 1 1/4 cups

Ingredients

• 4  ounces  dried guajillo chilies or 4  ounces  new mexico peppers
• 1  head garlic
• 2  teaspoons caraway seeds
• 2  teaspoons  coriander seeds
• 1  teaspoon cumin seed
• 1  teaspoon dried mint
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  Mexican lime (Limon)

Directions

1. Remove the stems and the seeds from the chiles, and pan roast them on very high heat in batches, a couple minutes each.
2. Place the chiles in a large bowl and cover them with boiling water, allowing them to sit for at least 40 minutes.
3. Dry roast the caraway, coriander, and cumin until the seeds begin to pop and the mixture becomes very fragrant. Transfer them to a mortar and pestle or a spice mill with the mint, and grind to a powder.
4. Coarsely chop the soaked chiles and the garlic, then transfer to a food processor with the spices, salt, oil, and the juice of the limon. Process until you have a smooth paste.
5. Store the harissa in a glass jar, covered with oil, for up to 12 weeks.