Homemade Middle Eastern Harissa Sauce

A spicy, fragrant condiment made with chili peppers, olive oil, garlic, and spices, harissa is a key ingredient in North African and Middle Eastern cooking.

What you need:

6 to 8 hot red chiles, stemmed and deseeded
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 to 4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground caraway
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons water

What you do:

Break chiles into pieces and soak in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain. Do not pat dry.
Into a food processor, add chiles, oil, garlic, coriander, caraway, and salt, and purée to a paste. Pulse in water until smooth. For a mild version, use Ancho or another more mild chile.