Harissa

Harissa(Arabic:هريسة,romanized:harīsa, fromMaghrebi Arabic) is a hotchili pepper paste, native to theMaghreb. The main ingredients areroastedred peppers,Baklouti peppers(بقلوطي),spicesandherbssuch asgarlicpaste,carawayseeds,corianderseeds,cuminandoliveoil to carry the oil-soluble flavors.
Tunisiais the biggest exporter of prepared harissa andUNESCOlists it as part of Tunisia'sIntangible Cultural Heritage.The origin of harissa goes back to the importation of chili peppers intoMaghrebian cuisineby theColumbian exchange,presumably during theSpanish occupationofOttoman Tunisiabetween1535and1574.
The word derives from the Arabic rootharasa(Arabic:هرس) 'to pound, to break into pieces', referring to pounding chilis,a tool traditionally used to make the paste in the Maghreb is calledMehraz[fr],and similar names are used for other pastes in the Maghrebi cuisine, such as "Hrous" which uses the same harissa recipe with a slight difference in the peppers, which are green.
In Algeria, harissa is commonly added to soups, stews, and couscous.Harissa paste can also be used as a rub for meatoreggplants.Another significant producer is Algeria'sAnnaba Province,which is also a significant consumer.According to cookbook authorMartha Rose Shulman, premade harissa tastes rather different from that which is  served in Tunisian andexpatriaterestaurants.
InIsrael, harissa is a common topping forsabichandshawarma.
Filfel chuma (Hebrew:פלפלצ'ומה‎), also spelled pilpelshuma, literally "pepper garlic", is the typicalchili sauceofLibyan Jewish cuisinewhich is very similar to the harissa.It comes fromLibyan cuisine,where it is known asmaseer(Arabic:المصيرorمسّير حارmseyer).It is also known by other names such asfilfil mukhalal(فلفل مخلل) andfilfil makbos(فلفل مكبوس).It is made from powdered sweet and hotpeppersand crushedgarlic. Other ingredients, such as groundcaraway seeds,cumin,lemon juice, and salt are sometimes added.It serves as acondimentand as an ingredient in dishes such as salads, meat, fish, legumes and rice, and egg dishes such asshakshouka.
Moroccan cuisinehas also adopted harissa, and some Moroccans use it as a side condiment fortagines, or sometimes mixed into dishes. Moroccans tend to have a preference for less seasoned harissa as it allows them to incorporate it into dishes of different flavor profiles.
Recipes for harissa vary according to the household and region.  Variations can include the addition offermentedonions or lemon juice. Prepared harissa is sold in jars, cans, bottles and tubes. Harissa is sometimes described as "Tunisia's main condiment",even "the national condiment of Tunisia",or at least as "the hallmark of Tunisia's fish and meat dishes".In Tunisia, harissa is used as an ingredient in a meat (poultry,beef,goat, orlamb) orfish stewwith vegetables, and as a flavoring forcouscous. It is also used forlablabi, achickpeasoup, andfricasse.
Tunisia is the biggest exporter of prepared harissa.In 2006, the Tunisian production of harissa was 22,000 tonnes, incorporating about 40,000 tonnes of peppers.Tunisian harissa is often made withBaklouti peppersand chilis grown aroundNabeulandGabès, which are relatively mild, scoring 4,000–5,000 on theScoville scale.On December 1, 2022,UNESCOadded "Harissa, knowledge, skills and culinary and social practices" as part of Tunisia'sIntangible Cultural Heritage.