Muhammara

Method

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1. Heat the grill to its highest setting. Sit the whole peppers on a foil-lined tray and grill 20 to 25 minutes, turning every 5, until the skins are blackened and collapsing on all sides.

   Mark done Start 20 min timer

2. Tip them into a bowl and cover with a plate. The trapped steam loosens the skins while they cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

3. Skin, stem and deseed the peppers over the bowl so you keep the juices. Do not rinse them under the tap — that washes away everything you just built.

   Mark done

4. Pulse the walnuts, breadcrumbs, garlic, Aleppo pepper, cumin and salt in a food processor to a coarse rubble. Stop while it still has texture.

   Mark done

5. Add the peppers with their juices, the pomegranate molasses and the lemon, and pulse again to a thick, spoonable paste that is still visibly grainy.

   Mark done

6. With the motor off, stir in the olive oil by hand so the dip stays coarse rather than turning to a smooth emulsion.

   Mark done

7. Taste for salt and sharpness — it should be as sour as it is sweet. Spread in a shallow bowl, press a channel through the middle with the back of a spoon and fill it with oil, walnuts and a last pinch of Aleppo pepper.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Raw walnuts, not toasted. Toasting makes them bitter against the molasses.
• Char the skins black. Soft is not roasted.
• Stir the oil in by hand. The processor turns it into hummus-textured paste.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Warm khubz arabi
• Grilled halloumi
• A cold glass of arak

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 5 days under a film of olive oil. The flavour is better on day two. It does not freeze — the walnuts go grainy.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.