Harissa

This is seriously the most delicious thing to come out of my blender. It's probably one of the most delicious things to ever come out of my kitchen! I don't think there is any way I could over-state just how good this harissa tastes. Or even how good it smells!

Make it. Eat it. Love it!

Harissa
From 150 Best Tagine Recipes
12 dried red chile peppers (I used Kashmiri chilies)
3/4 c. boiling water
1 Tbsp. coriander seeds
2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 tsp. fenugreek seeds
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 c. olive oil

1. Using scissors, cut chilies into strips. Discard stems.
2. Pour boiling water over chilies and set aside for at least 30 minutes.
3. Combine coriander, cumin, fennel, and fenugreek in a small pan and toast over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes. They may pop, but shouldn't smoke or burn.
4. Remove spices from hot pan and place on a plate to cool.
5. Once cool, grind the toasted spices.
6. Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic with the salt. (Alternatively, chop in a food processor.)
7. Drain the chilies and mash them with the garlic. (Or chop in the food processor.)
8. Mash in the spices.
9. Gradually pound and mix in oil.

I have neither a food processor nor a large enough mortar to accommodate all the harissa ingredients. Instead, what I did, was follow the recipe up to step 7. Once I got to step 7, I transferred the mashed garlic to my small bullet blender, added the chilies and a couple Tbsp. of oil, and gave it a quick whirl. Then I ground the toasted spices in the empty mortar and added them to the blender as well. Gave it another whirl. After that I alternated ~10-20 seconds of blending with stopping to add another Tbsp. or so of oil until I'd added the lot. I'm sure it would've been easier with a food processor, but I'm happy enough (more-than-happy actually!) with the results I got from the blender.

Update: As you may be able to tell from the photo, we have a molcajete now! So it's now even easier to make harissa. No more stopping and starting the blender; just dump everything into the molcajete and go to town!