After a 55 year relationship, my parents are like a two headed monster.
They have their routines; my mother wakes up at 5am, comes out to the kitchen, does some stretches, opens her ipad to look at her daughters’ instagram and checks the news. After that, she plays one or two games of Texas hold’em. In the background, a little humble speaker plays middle-eastern music.
She tells me that sometimes she cries from songs that bring up memories.
Around nine, my dad pops and sits on a stool near my mom. He opens his ipad to play solitaire, poker, check the news, the stocks and real estate around the world.
That’s when my mother makes him a cup of black coffee and half a pita sandwich with mayo, harissa sauce, and half a boiled egg.
WHAT YOU NEED
- 100gr dried chili peppers (california or mexico)
- 14 whole garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ¾ tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp olive oil for stir-fry
HOW TO MAKE
The peppers:
- Soak the peppers in water for 1 hour. Drain the water and squeeze the peppers in your hands to drain out more liquid. I recommend doing it with gloves.
- On a cutting board, cut the top part of the chili peppers (remove the seeds if you want a mild harissa).
- In a wide pan on medium heat, add 2 tbsp of olive oil, all the garlic cloves, and all of the peppers. Stir fry for 4 minutes. It will give it a little smokey flavor.
The sauce:
- In a blender, add the peppers mixture with 2 tbsp of vinegar, ¾ cup olive oil, ¾ tbsp salt and 1 tbsp sugar. Blend until the mixture is smooth.
- Place in a jar and you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Add to a sandwich, Moroccan fish or as a spicy sauce to any food.
