Earlier today, we brought you an exposé on Gochujang – a versatile Korean hot pepper con-diment. Now, we’re spotlighting another pepper-based sauce/dip: Muhammarah. Like it’s Asian cousin, this Middle Eastern one deserves wider exposure!
Never heard of it before? You’re not alone. North African Harissa was once such a sauce, neglected in Europe and North America because we already had as much as we could manage, from its culinary region, on our overflowing hands…
A really special flavour
This salsa-like concoction is at the mild end of the pepper heat scale. The Aleppo Pepper is des-cribed as mildly spicy, around as hot as the crushed red pepper flakes you have in your spice rack. But its flavour is something else…
“Aleppo peppers are mildly spicy and playfully sweet,” Spices Inc. tells us. “They deliver a rich flavor that’s a little bit like raisin and a little bit like sun-dried tomatoes. Aleppo pepper has an undertone of earthy cumin and lemony top notes. The heat comes in slowly and then dissipates, leaving behind the tart citric top notes.”
What, exactly, is Muhammarah?
To its Aleppo Pepper flavour base, the authentic recipe adds finely chopped toasted walnuts, cumin, sweet onion, tomato paste, olive oil and – oh, so important! – pomegranate molasses.
You can whir it all up in a bar/smoothie blender or, if making a large batch, a food processor. But the blender is recommended for finest, most satisfying texture.
At the end, taste for salt. You haven’t added any, yet, so taste again, to be sure it’s right. Now’s also the time to decide if the balance of the main flavours is to your taste. You can add more of anything, incorporating it with an extra burst or two of the blender.
‘Time is of the essence’
… Because resting time is crucially important to the development of Muhammarah’s unique flavour profile. In fact, it’s recommended you cover your finished dip tightly and refrigerate overnight or longer.
Serve Middle Eastern style, like Hummus or Tabouili; spread in a thickish layer on a broad, high-rimmed plate, drizzled with olive oil and a single whole walnut half placed right in the middle for garnish.
Again, like the other two dips mentioned in the preceding sentence, serve with fresh pita bread. The pita(s) should be provided whole, on a separate plate or in a basket, so folks can follow tradition, tearing pieces off for dipping.
Substitutions allowed?
You could substitute sweet bell peppers, or a combo of those and any mildly-hot pepper you’re also growing in your garden this year. But it won’t be quite the same as using real Aleppo Peppers.
And you could use regular light molasses. But, again, you’d sacrifice the floral, citrus notes of Pome-granate Molasses – so important to real Muhammarah.
In the end, it’s up to you. The truth is, there really is no one, set standard Muhammarah recipe. Every middle Eastern chef his their own secret formula…
My take
This delightful sauce/dip is fast and east to make but – though it does call for some slightly more exotic ingredients than you might normally buy – it’s definitely worth it, to follow the ingredients list exactly. Muhammarah is a great way to impress the Middle Eastern food fan(s) in your circle – maybe even broadening their horizons.
And once you become intimately familiar with it, you’ll discover many other delicious ways to use it…
~ Maggie J.