SWEET & SPICY MUHAMMARA

PREP + COOK TIME 30 MINUTES KEEPS 2 WEEKS MAKES 4¼ CUPS

So you’ve mastered harissa and curry pastes, now you can try muhammara, an irresistible dip of Syrian origin that’s also found in Turkey. 4 medium red capsicums (800g)

2 fresh long red chillies

1 cup (70g) coarse sourdough

breadcrumbs

1 cup (100g) walnuts, roasted

3 cloves garlic

2½ tablespoons pomegranate molasses 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons water, approximately 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive

oil, extra

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts,

roasted, extra

1 Cook capsicums on a heated barbecue or char-grill pan, turning occasionally, for 10 minutes or until skin is charred and blackened and the flesh is tender. (Don’t be afraid to allow the skin to become heavily blackened.) Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap; stand until cool enough to handle. Carefully cut capsicum open, drain away any hot juices; peel and remove seeds.

2 Process capsicum, chillies, breadcrumbs, walnuts, garlic, molasses, oil, paste, cumin and the juice until smooth. Add the water if required to thin to the desired consistency; season to taste.

Spoon into an airtight container or jar; seal and store in the fridge. Drizzle with extra oil and top with extra walnuts, to serve. VEGETARIANS

Vegetarians will find this a useful sauce to have on hand to drizzle over roasted large mushrooms teamed with haloumi, or as a spread with a difference in sandwiches. TRY THIS

Use as a sauce for lamb kofta and kebabs stuffed into pitta pockets; or serve with toasted mountain bread.