harissa

Couscous with a bowl of harissa sauce.

Harissa is a North African hot red sauce or paste whose main ingredients are chili peppers (often smoked or dried) and garlic. Though most closely associated with Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria,^[1] it is a standard ingredient of North African cuisine.^[2]

Harissa often contains coriander, caraway, or cumin, and usually olive oil. It may also contain tomatoes. It is used both as a condiment and as an ingredient in recipes.

In Tunisia, harissa is served at virtually every meal as part of an appetizer.^{[citation needed]} It is also used as an ingredient in a meat (goat or lamb) or fish stew with vegetables, and as a flavoring for couscous. It is also used for lablabi, a popular chickpea soup usually eaten for breakfast. Lemon juice is sometimes added. In Saharan regions, harissa can have a smoky flavor.

The paste (which may vary from one region to another) is also sold in tubes, jars, and cans. In the West it is eaten with pasta, in sandwiches and on pizza. In some European countries like Germany it is popular as a breakfast spread for tartines or rolls, and one finds varieties of harissa or harissa-themed spreads in almost every supermarket.^{[citation needed]} Harissa paste can be also used as a rub for meat^[3] or aubergine.^[4]

References

External links

• Harissa recipe at Recipesource.com

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