HARISSA

Harissa is a North African condiment that's got one of the most addictive flavour profiles! And, it's just at home on a slice of bread as in a complex stew or sauce. That's what makes it so brilliant! So if you like flavour with a punch, look no further! You can use any combination of dried chile types, and adjust the quantity to suit your taste and spice level. 

I have a general obsession with condiments and dips - a few, even one excellent condiment can elevate the simplest of ingredients to another level. I like having various types of condiments like harissa, pestos, salsas, salad dressings, dipping sauces, nut butters etc. around so I can make a quick meal with pretty much any fresh vegetable or fruit, cooked grains, eggs, leftovers, etc. Like this sandwich I made (photo above) with harissa and some leftover lamb meatballs with spicy tomato sauce I'd made for a dinner party (not-so-great photo below).

Harissa

makes: 1 cup

- 8-9 dried chiles de arbol or cayenne

- 2 chile guajillo

- 3 cloves garlic

- 2 tsp. salt

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon 

- 1 lemon, juiced 

- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (optional)

- 1/3 cup olive oil

- 1 tsp. coriander

- 1 tsp. cumin

- 1 tsp. smoked paprika (optional)

- 1 tbsp. caraway seeds

1. On medium-low heat, dry-roast the chiles in a skillet without burning them (or they'll taste bitter). Transfer to a bowl filled with enough hot water to submerge the chiles, and add the sun-dried tomatoes. Set aside for 10-15 minutes. Drain and remove the chile stalks.
2. In the same skillet, dry-roast the caraway seeds. Let them cool.
3. In a blender jar, add the drained chiles and all other ingredients and blend to a smooth paste.
4. Transfer to a container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

SPICY ROASTED TOMATO AND CHILE SALSA: SALSA QUEMADA

Burnt (roasted) salsa. Or salsa quemada (kay-maada), in Spanish.

If you know me, you know my vast love for Mexican food. It's endless and untiring. Combined with my equally endless and untiring love for spicy sauces and condiments it means you're sure to find a slew of dips, sauces, salsas, and pestos in my fridge at any time! I love making salsas because they're so flavourful and versatile - they go with everything. I usually have a couple of different types in the fridge - they're great when I want to put together a quick rice and bean bowl with roasted vegetables for lunch or a couple of tacos for dinner when I'm famished. 

This salsa, like most salsas, is very easy to make and tastes better the longer it sits. It's great with chips, tacos, on a bowl of beans and rice, roasted vegetables, eggs, steak, chicken, with hot fresh corn tortillas, empanadas, pretty much anything... so dig in!

Spicy Roasted Tomato and Chile Salsa: Salsa Quemada

makes: ~ 2 cups

- 8 chiles de arbol

- 2 chiles guajillos

- 4 - 5 ripe Roma tomatoes

- 1/2 white onion

- 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled

- 1/4 bunch cilantro

- 1/2 lime, juiced

- salt, to taste

- 3/4 cup hot water

1. Toast the chiles briefly in a a cast-iron or other skillet over medium-low heat until they're aromatic and slightly change colour. This should only take a minute or less... try not to blacken them — burnt chiles add an unpleasant bitterness to the salsa. Transfer the toasted chiles into a bowl and cover them with hot water. Let them sit while you roast the rest of the vegetables.
2. Turn the heat to medium and put the tomatoes, garlic, and onion (cut side down) into the skillet. Turn the vegetables every few minutes to roast them evenly.
3. Remove the garlic when it has a few brown spots. Remove the onion when it's nicely charred on the cut side, and slightly softened. Let the tomatoes roast until they're soft and blackened in spots. The skin will start to peel and the tomatoes may crack slightly and release some juices. It's ok.
4. Turn off the heat and let the tomatoes cool. Remove any loose or blackened skin - it should come off easily. Peel the garlic, cut the onion into 2 - 3 chunks. Drain the water from the chiles.
5. Add the chiles, tomatoes, garlic, onion, cilantro, salt, and lime juice to a blender and pulse until smooth. Adjust salt to taste before serving.
6. Serve at room temperature or store in the fridge for a week. If it lasts that long!

SALSA VERDE WITH CHILES DE ARBOL

Chiles de arbol - fresh and dried - are very similar in appearance to cayenne chiles, which are typically used in Indian cooking, although the flavours of both chiles are somewhat different. Chiles de arbol are a bit woodsy and smokier than cayennes.

As a side note, in Gujarati, dried cayenne chiles are referred to as "vaghaar na marcha" - chiles used for tempering. We also pickle fresh cayenne chiles with mustard or lime, or eat them raw with a meal, sometimes dipped in salt before each bite. If you cannot find chiles de arbol in a store near you, you can use cayenne chiles for this salsa.

This spicy salsa is really easy to make and will no doubt become a regular in your fridge! It's great with chips, on tacos and enchiladas, as a simmer sauce, over baked/grilled meat or fish, with poached eggs, and - as shown above - even as a poaching sauce for eggs (thin it a bit with water first).

You can make it as spicy or mild as you want. To make it spicy, leave the seeds in the chile pods. To make it mild, break the chiles in half and shake out the seeds before roasting. Either way, it's a really delicious sauce!

Salsa Verde with Chiles de Arbol

makes: ~2 cups

- 8 - 10 chiles de arbol
- 5 medium tomatillos, husks removed, and washed well
- 1/2 medium onion (don't chop it)
- 2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 1/2 ripe avocado
- 1/4 bunch cilantro (15 - 20 stalks)
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 cups water

1. Heat a cast-iron or other heavy skillet. Fill a bowl or lidded container with 1 cup of the water.
2. Remove the stems of the chiles and toast on the skillet, stirring frequently to keep them from burning. Once the chiles smell fragrant and are lightly browned, remove from the heat and transfer to the container of water. Cover and let the chiles soak while you prepare the other ingredients.
3. Put the tomatillos, garlic, and onion (cut side down) in the hot skillet and roast, turning once or twice. Once the tomatillos are charred in spots and soft, the garlic is charred in spots, and the cut side of the onion is somewhat blackened, turn off the heat and leave to cool.
4. Peel the garlic, cut the onion and avocado into 2-3 large pieces, and drain the chiles.
5. Add the chiles, tomatillos, peeled garlic, onion, avocado, cilantro, salt, lime juice, and 1/2 cup water to a blender jar. Blend till you have a thick salsa (if you want a thinner salsa, add the other 1/2 cup water). Taste and adjust salt and lime.
6. Store in the fridge up to 3-4 days.