COPPERMuhammara recipe
An Aleppo dip in which sun-dried red pepper paste, walnuts and breadcrumbs are worked together and sharpened with pomegranate molasses.
Ingredients
- 150 g red pepper paste
- 2 red bell peppers
- 150 g walnuts
- 60 g breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
- 0.5 tsp salt
How to make Muhammara
- Char 2 red bell peppers over a flame or under the grill until blackened, about 20 minutes; let them sweat in a covered bowl, then peel and seed them.
- Toast 150 g walnuts in a dry pan for 4 to 5 minutes and let them cool.
- In a mortar (the traditional tool) or a food processor, pound the walnuts with 1 garlic clove until coarsely crushed.
- Add the peeled peppers, 150 g Aleppo red pepper paste (dibs flayfleh, or Turkish biber salçası), 60 g dry breadcrumbs, 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses, 1 tsp cumin, 0.5 tsp Aleppo pepper and ½ tsp salt; work to a thick, slightly coarse paste, not a smooth purée.
- Loosen with 1 tbsp lemon juice and 3 tbsp olive oil; adjust with more molasses or salt until it tastes sweet, sour and gently hot.
- Spread it on a plate, make a well in the centre, pour in 4 tbsp olive oil and serve with flatbread.
What is Muhammara?
Muhammara is a traditional dish from Syria, grilled, and takes about 40 minutes from start to finish. It is built around red pepper paste, walnuts and breadcrumbs. The recipe below uses 11 ingredients and is written out step by step.
How long does Muhammara take?
At 40 minutes it is quicker than 89% of the 586 dishes in Copper's atlas. Copper's atlas has 3 dishes built on red pepper paste. The method runs to 6 steps, the longest being 20 minutes.
Any tips for making Muhammara?
Work the toasted walnuts, peppers and pepper paste into a thick, slightly coarse paste, not a smooth purée, then balance it with pomegranate molasses.
How Muhammara compares
Hard to find elsewhere: red bell peppers (1), pomegranate molasses (2) and red pepper paste (3).
Copper documents Syria alongside 197 other countries. Every recipe is free to read, with the full ingredient list and every step.