Tunisian Harissa

Harissa is a blend of spices with red pepper and garlic. Its consistency is like tomato paste. It is used in Tunisia and Algeria, and probably all over North Africa, to add rich, spicy, hot flavor to prepared food. It's also used as a snack, spread on french bread (or other bread) that has been spread with olive oil. You can use harissa in many other dishes, just to spice things up!

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 1/2 cup

Ingredients

• 125  g  dried hot red chili peppers, cayenne type
• 1⁄2 head garlic
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 1  teaspoon water
• 1 -3  tablespoon olive oil

Directions

1. Cut off the tops of the dried red peppers, and deseed them.
2. Soften them in a bowl of water for a half hour, then put them in a colander to drain them a bit.
3. Take the skins off the garlic.
4. Put them in a blender, add the red peppers, the salt, caraway, coriander, and 1 teaspoon of water.
5. Also, add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
6. Blend this until it is like a paste.
7. Add olive oil to taste.
8. The oil will lessen somewhat the intensity of the spice.