Pounded Pepper Paste

Harissa, a hot chili pepper paste

Servings: 1/4 cup Preparation time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 – 5 fresh peppers*
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2+ teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground caraway seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

*Many varieties of peppers will work, for example only chile de agua (my favorite), only lemon peppers, no-heat habaneros, or a more classic version with 1 chile de agua, 1 arapaho, .5 sugar, 2 red embers).

Instructions

1. Remove the seeds and roughly chop the peppers.
2. If using fresh coriander, caraway and/or cumin, grind them first in a spice grinder.
3. Add all ingredients to a food chopper. Blend until it turns into a paste. (I highly recommend to wait a minute or two before opening up the container after blending, to give it a chance to settle, which minimizes inhaling the spicy vapors.)
4. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month or freeze.

Note: If you are using spicy peppers, I highly recommend using rubber gloves and a mask. The gloves will protect your hands as you wash, cut and handle the peppers, and the face mask will protect you from the vapors.