A luscious sauce like this should not be restricted to mezze night! Make a batch for your next barbecue and slather it on your Greek chicken burger with feta.
What is muhammara?
Another Levantine dip for your mezze spread! Where Baba Ganoush and hummus are pale and creamy, muhammara is a splash of colour for your Middle Eastern table. Taken from the Arabic word for ‘red’, it’s a vibrant flavoured and hued spread that originated in Syria. Made from roasted red peppers, garlic and walnuts, it may sound familiar. Perhaps you know muhammara’s saucy Spanish cousin Romesco? The two are distinguished by their trademark nut. Walnuts for muhammara and almonds for Romesco. Both taste incredible as a sauce over firm white fish or grilled vegetables.
How to make it
Like Baba Ganoush, you could take your time painstakingly roasting the peppers and garlic over an open flame to achieve that signature ashy flavour and char. Or, like me, you could opt for convenience and just oven roast them! After drizzling the whole peppers with oil and carefully wrapping the garlic bulb in foil, roast them for 40 minutes. You’ll know the peppers are ready when they have collapsed in on themselves. The next step is important- leave them to cool before you handle them. You’re not going to enjoy your finger food with singed fingers. When ready, deseed the peppers and peel them if you wish. Squeeze the sweet sticky garlic cloves from the skin and put all the ingredients into a food processor and blend. Then toast the walnuts. This releases more fragrance and flavour, it also reduces the bitterness of the raw nuts. Add these to the blender for a final pulse, but not too much as you want them to retain texture.
How to serve it
There is nothing quite as inviting as a table spread with mezze. Whether or not you picked up the matching set of small ceramic bowls that fit neatly together to make a star shape on your last trip to The Grand Bazaar, these glossy dips make the table a work of art all by themselves. I like to pile the table high with warm flatbreads, mounds of glistening olives, steaming grilled meat, fresh herb-rich salads and of course all the dips! Then everyone helps themselves to what they fancy. It’s also a great side dish to add next to a main like Spicy Lemon Za’atar Chicken or Chicken Musakhan, with flatbread to complete the spread!
Storage and leftovers
Like many of the mezze dips, muhammara can be made ahead of time as it keeps well in the fridge. And even improves thanks to the roasted garlic. Kept in an airtight container, it will last between 4 and 5 days. But bear in mind the walnuts will lose their bite after a while. More Middle Eastern Recipes to Try:
Middle Eastern Fattoush Salad Chicken Musakhan Middle Eastern Salad Bowl Falafel Salad Bowl with Tabouleh and Hummus
