This Muhammara Recipe is creamy, smoky, spicy-sweet, tangy and delish. This Middle Eastern inspired roasted red bell pepper dip is delightful as a dip or a spread with many snacks.
Recipe Snapshot
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 5 minutes
- Total time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3
- Category: Condiment, Side Dish
- Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, World
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper (- large-sized)
- 2 to 3 garlic (- small-sized)
- ¼ cup walnuts (or roasted almonds)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey (or pomegranate molasses or cane sugar)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin ((cumin powder))
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ((cinnamon powder))
- 1 teaspoon paprika (or cayenne or red chilli powder)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt (as required)
- ground black pepper (as required)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro ((coriander leaves) or parsley for garnish)
Method
- Rinse the bell pepper with water first a few times and then pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.
- Roast the bell pepper on a stove-top flame moving it with a pair of tongs till it becomes black and chars evenly all over.
- Keep the roasted pepper it in a bowl of water for 5 minutes.
- Later remove the charred peel with your fingers or with a paring knife.
- Rinse the bell pepper again in water to remove any blackened peels stuck on the pepper. Finely chop the bell pepper.
- Add the chopped roasted pepper, garlic, lemon juice, honey, ground spices, extra virgin oil, salt and pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend or process to a fine consistency.
- Transfer the muhammara to a serving bowl. Garnish with a dash of olive oil, sesame seeds and chopped parsley or coriander leaves
Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note
Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.