Homemade Harissa

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Roasted Vegetables

1. 1
   Char the peppers whole directly over the gas flame, turning, until the skin is black and blistered on all sides and the flesh is completely soft.

   Stove

   💡Charring directly over the flame gives the vegetables their smoky flavor; in the oven they soften, but the flavor is milder.
2. 2
   Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly and leave 15 minutes.

   Bowl

   💡The steam in the covered container separates the skin from the flesh, so it comes off easily. Don't rinse under water: the smoky flavor washes away with it.
3. 3
   Peel off the charred skin, remove the stem and seeds from the peppers and drain off the liquid.

   Colander

To assemble

1. 4
   Grind the peppers in a food processor with the garlic, cumin, cilantro, paprika and salt.

   ⚙ Grinding in a Food ProcessorFood processor

   💡In a food processor, grind in short pulses and check between pulses: it's easy to go from coarse to paste. (Sesame for tahini, on the other hand, is ground continuously.)
2. 5
   Add the oil and lemon juice in a thin stream, while Tahini, until a smooth paste.

   ⚙ Fat in a Thin StreamFood processor

   💡The thin stream is everything: fat that goes in too fast can't bind, and the sauce breaks. For mayonnaise and hollandaise, if this happens, start with a fresh yolk and slowly add the broken sauce to it; if the sauce is too thick, thin it with a teaspoon of water.
3. 6
   Transfer to a jar and cover with a layer of oil about a centimeter deep. Store in the fridge, and for long storage freeze in small jars.

   💡The layer of oil on top seals the harissa from the air, so it doesn't sour or grow mold.