This dip called muhammara originates from Syria according to my research and I think we should all take a minute to thank them for this wonderful concoction. It is juicy, sweet, savoury and spicy all at once. It seems like there are many variations on this dish and every family seems to have their own recipe. I made my own too by taking inspiration from several different recipes. One clear inspiration is Yotam Ottolenghi and his Masterclass where he made this as one of his mezze dishes.

The dip is great simply with bread and I have eaten it many mornings lately on top of toast with hummus. Such a yummy combo! And if you want to step outside the box a little and go for a bit of fusion I can recommend adding some kimchi on top as well. Gotta love a bit of fusion but also serve this dish as part of a mezze on your next get together with family or friends. It really shines with it’s beautiful red colour and juicy look next to hummus, baba ganoush, falafel and flat bread.

It might seem like a bit of a complicated dish as you roast the veggies first, then let them cool before peeling them and blending them with the other ingredients. It is however a pretty low maintenance dish in terms of active prep time so don’t be fooled or scared off by the first glance of the recipe. It also makes a big batch and feel free to make double and keep in the fridge for up to a week. Add it to nourish bowls, sandwiches, wraps, salads and the sky is the limit. Enjoy!

Malin x

Muhammara

Serves 6-8.

INGREDIENTS:

3 medium to large red bell peppers

3 medium sized tomatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

0,75 cup toasted walnuts

0,25 – 0,5 cup bread crumbs, gluten free if required

1-2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1,5 tbsp pomegranate molasses

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp hot red pepper flakes, aleppo is preferred

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Top with:

Extra virgin olive oil

A handful of pomegranate seeds, roughly half of a fruit

A handful of fresh parsley, chopped

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees celsius.

Remove the core from the peppers and cut them into 4-5 large pieces. Half the tomatoes. Place the cut vegetables on an oven tray and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and toss to coat. Place the tomatoes cut side down.

Roast in the centre of the oven for 20-30 minutes, until they are blistered and soft, then remove and allow to cool.

While the vegetables are roasting toast the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat. This will take only a few minutes until they have a slightly deeper colour and you can smell their nutty fragrance. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Add the cumin and coriander seeds to the hot and dry pan and toast for a couple of minutes. Again they are ready when they are distinctly fragrant and they might also start making a popping sound and movement. Remove from the heat and pour into the bowl of a mortar and pestle. Once they have cooled slightly use the pestle to grind the spices as fine as you can. No worries if it isn’t a perfect powder though.

Add the walnuts, ground spices and the remaining ingredients to the bowl of a food processor with an s-blade. Start by adding the 0,25 cup of breadcrumbs at this stage and add more later if you find the dip too loose.

Peel the skins off the vegetables using your hands and simply pulling them off. This should be quite easy after roasting and cooling. It is okay if not all skins come off completely but try to remove as much as possible. Add the peeled vegetables to the food processor bowl as well.

Pulse the food processor until the ingredients are well combined into a slightly chunky dip. As mentioned above you can add more bread crumbs if you find the dip too lose. If you find it’s a little dry feel free to add a tablespoon or two more of olive oil and then pulse again.

Serve on a flat plate spread out with the help of a spoon or spatula so that you make little peaks and valleys out of it. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley.

Serve as part of a mezze spread or eat with bread.

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