Instructions
Place the chili peppers in a bowl, cover them with boiling water and let soak for .
Drain the peppers but reserve the soaking water.
While the peppers are soaking, place the caraway seeds, coriander seeds and cumin seeds in an unoiled sauté pan and cook them over medium heat, shaking the pan frequently, for or until fragrant.
Remove from the heat and grind the spices (you can place the spices on a cutting board, cover them with parchment paper and crush them with a rolling pin).
Place the peppers, garlic and spices in a small food processor and process, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.
Add the olive oil and continue to process for a minute or two, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.
Add 2–3 tablespoons of the soaking water and process to make the sauce as smooth as possible.
Store the Harissa in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Makes about 1/2 cup.
Ronnie Fein is a cookbook author, food writer and cooking teacher in Stamford.
Her latest book is HYPERLINK "http://www.amazon.com/Hip-Kosher-Easy-Prepare-Recipes/dp/1600940536/ref=zg_4321_13" Hip Kosher.
Visit her food blog, Kitchen Vignettes, at HYPERLINK "http://www.ronniefein.com" www.ronniefein.com and follow on Twitter at HYPERLINK "http://www.twitter.com/RonnieVFein"@RonnieVFein.