Homemade Harissa Paste

Begin by carefully breaking up the chile peppers, separating them into individual pieces. Remove the stems and seeds, discarding them in the trash. If handling medium-hot or hot peppers, consider donning disposable gloves to protect your hands.

Next, place the chile pepper pieces in a heat-resistant bowl and submerge them in boiling water. Allow them to soften for 15 to 20 minutes, at which point they should be pliable and easy to handle. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and gently pat dry with paper towels.

In a small, heatproof skillet, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil over extremely low heat. Cook the garlic until it's softened but still retains a hint of its natural color, taking about 3 minutes to achieve this. Allow it to cool slightly before transferring it to a food processor along with the softened chile peppers.

Using the same skillet, toast 3-4 caraway seeds, cumin seeds, and coriander seeds over medium-low heat until they emit a fragrant aroma. This should take around 2 to 3 minutes. Crush the toasted seeds in a mortar and then add them to the food processor, blending everything together.

With the food processor running, slowly pour in the remaining 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, scraping down the sides as necessary to ensure everything is well combined. Finally, season the mixture with salt to taste.

Finally, transfer the harissa mixture to a sterilized glass jar and level the top. Add enough olive oil to cover the surface, ensuring that the harissa remains moist and doesn't dry out. Close the jar tightly and refrigerate it to allow the flavors to meld together.