Homemade 3-Chile Harissa

Ingredients

• •15 whole dried chiles de árbol
• •2 whole dried guajillo chiles
• •1 whole dried ancho chile
• •1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• •1½ teaspoons coriander seeds
• •3 cloves garlic
• •2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• •1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• •1 tablespoon tomato paste
• •1½ teaspoons hot smoked Spanish paprika
• •1 teaspoon kosher salt
• •¾ cup olive oil
• •divided

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   Place árbol, guajillo, and ancho chiles in a large heatproof measuring glass. Pour boiling water over to submerge, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit until chiles are very pliable and cool enough to handle, 15-20 minutes. Drain; remove stems and seeds and discard (wear gloves for this part if you have them).

   20 min

2. 2.

   Toast cumin and coriander in a dry small skillet over medium-low heat, tossing constantly, until very fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a food processor, add garlic, and pulse until spices are broken up and garlic forms a paste. Add chiles and pulse until chiles form a coarse paste. Add lemon juice, vinegar, tomato paste, paprika, and salt and process until mostly smooth but mixture still has a little texture. With the motor running, stream in 1/2 cup oil. Process until oil is incorporated.

   10 min

3. 3.

   Transfer harissa to a bowl. Pour remaining 1/4 cup oil over top.

   2 min

4. 4.

   Harissa can be made 1 month ahead. Cover and chill.

   1 min