The daring broadcast of the Middle East, you will want everything on everything

Mezze is not only a collection of dips and small bites, it is a way of lingering languidly on food and conversation, transforming a meal into something undressed and shared. While houmous can be the most familiar Mezze in the West, another basic food that has gained popularity in the United States in recent years is Muhammara. It is judged from Aleppo, in Syria, Muhammara is made from red peppers, raw onions, nuts, olive oil, pomegranate melasse and spices such as Aleppo pepper, cumin, coriander and conviction, all mixed with a rich and acidic test. We think that the name comes from the Arabic word ḥamrameaning “red”, a wink probably to its vibrant color.

I grew up in Amman, Jordan, where there was no lack of mezzes to choose during restoration in a restaurant. Everyone in my family had their non-negotiations: my father was houmous, my mother was mutabale (a smoked hostel dip based on Tahini, garlic and lemon juice), my sister was Kibbeh, and mine was still Muhammara. As a child, I fired quietly and anxiously on the top of my mother and whispers: “Have you ordered Muhammara?” She would assure me that they ordered two.

Mezzes are often served in restaurants that also offer grilled meats. The table first filled with an assortment of dips, carefully garnished with herbs, seeds of red garnet attic and a generous dousing of olive oil, as well as tasty mini-pastries, kibbeh fries and hot pita balls. After what looked forever, the table would be eliminated to make way for the second act: grilled meats. I have always asked that the Muhammara be left on the table, because it was the perfect accompaniment to the Tawook, the Kebabs and the Gilled Lamb to come.

Key techniques to make muhammara at home

While some versions of this dip call roasting the peppers before mixing to produce a softer and smoky flavor, the Muhammara with whom I grew up in Jordan and made during visits to Syria has always been made with unadoned fresh peppers. The dip that I like has a fresh and impactful flavor and is thick but spread. To obtain this fresh flavor, I use red raw peppers as well as raw onions. To give Muhammara a silky texture, peppers and onions are treated as finely as possible in a food processor. And because peppers and red onions are naturally aqueous, it is crucial to carefully flow the two – otherwise, the Muhammara will be soup.

To thicken the dip further, I finely treat the Panko breadcrumbs before folding them in the pepper-onion mixture. The Panko helps thicken Muhammara without making it dense or pasty. Unlike ordinary breadcrumbs, the Panko is made from bread without a crust and baked in the oven to create light and airy flakes that absorb humidity without weighing the dive.

Once all the remaining ingredients of Muhammara are treated and combined together, leaving the dive rest for at least an hour before serving gives the flavors time to blend and deepen. You might be tempted to jump this rest and immediately dive into the dive, but I implore you, the final flavor is well worth this brief expectation.

Serving suggestions for Muhammara

Until this day, I have not encountered a soul that has tried Muhammara and that has not fallen in love. The captive dip with its daring and lying flavors – the strong punch of the soft grenade molasses, the rich hazelnut of the ground nuts, the gentle warmth of the spices, the assertive depth of olive oil and the fruity of red peppers. He hardly dares to find new ways to eat it. Try it in the traditional way by filling it with a good olive oil and picking it up with pita bread. Or, make creativity and spread it on sandwiches, use it as a garnish of pasta, serve it alongside meats and grilled fish, or take advantage of it as your love desires in Muhammara.

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