Muhammara is a roasted red pepper and walnut dip that is likely originated from Syria, although it is now popular around the Middle East and Turkey as well. The delicious dip combines roasted red pepper with toasted walnut, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice and spices. It is so good just eating with a spoon, but works perfectly as a dip with veggies or pita chips or in a sandwich.
Syrian red pepper and walnut dip (muhammara)
Course: Appetizers, Dips, pickles and relishesCuisine: Syrian, TurkishDifficulty: Easy2
cups20
minutesMuhammara is a Levantine bell pepper and walnut dip.
I use the commonly available roasted bell peppers in a jar. You can also roast your own peppers. Instructions at the end of the recipe.
INGREDIENTS
¾ cup walnut
12 fl oz. (net weight 7 oz.) roasted red/bell pepper jar (to roast your own, use 2 large red peppers and see instructions below)
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons pomegranate concentrate
1 tablespoon lemon juice
⅓ cup breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cumin
¼ teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup mild olive oil or corn oil
DIRECTIONS
- Start by toasting the walnut. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees, arrange walnut on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes, mixing after 5 minutes, until fragrant. Let cool completely.
- Strain roasted red pepper then transfer to a few layers of paper towels and pat dry.
- Put peppers in a blender or a food processor together with the walnut and the rest of the ingredients besides for the oil and mix to a chunky paste. With blender running, slowly add oil and continue to blend until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and lemon juice to your liking.
- Muhammara keeps in a sealed container in the fridge up to a week.
- To roast your own red peppers
- Turn oven to 500 F degrees.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and arrange the 2 peppers on it. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, flipping peppers occasionally, until they’re charred all over. Remove from oven.
- Immediately transfer peppers to a bowl and seal the bowl with plastic wrap. Let stand for 20 minutes.
- Now you can remove the skin off of the peppers and discard. Do not wash the peppers! Half the peppers, remove the seeds and stem and use in the recipe as above.
