Muhammara / roasted bell peppers dip

It’s wonderful to meet people from different cultures and learn a bit about them. It opens our minds and helps us grow. I find food as an interesting way to connect. Recently I got introduced to a unique dip called muhammara made with roasted red bell peppers and walnuts. 

It is spicy and has a unique nuttiness to it. The roasting adds to the flavor.

We loved the texture and promised to recreate it soon. The traditional recipe requires pomegranate molasses, but I wanted to keep it spicy and skipped it altogether. Other than that, it does not require any exotic ingredients, just a few pantry staples. The only time required is while removing the skin after roasting the peppers. The trick is to cover the hot peppers with a cling. The steam helps loosen the skin, and after a couple of minutes, the skin comes off easily. 

Here’s my version of this hearty dip. I served it with pita chips. However, it will taste great with kebabs and veggies too. I hope you do give it a try.

Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: NA
Serves: 3 – 4

Ingredients

• Red bell peppers 2
• Garlic 3
• Chili 1
• Walnuts 12-13
• Cumin powder 1 tsp
• Paprika 1 tsp
• Bread crumbs 3 tbsp
• Olive oil ½ cup
• Lemon juice 3 tbsp
• Salt and pepper
• Sesame seeds (Garnish)
• Chives (Garnish)
• Pita bread 2-3

Method

1. Slice the bell peppers and remove the seeds. Lay the slices in a layer and drizzle some oil.
2. Roast them at 180 degrees for 10 minutes till the skin gets blistered.
3. Place the cooked bell peppers in a bowl and cover it with a cling. Keep it aside for two minutes.
4. In the meantime, cut the pita bread into the desired shape and place them on a baking tray. Drizzle olive oil, mix and bake for 3-4 minutes. 
5. Place the skinned peppers with the rest of the ingredients (except the garnish and pita chips) and blend into a coarse paste.
6. Pour out into a serving bowl, sprinkle sesame seeds, chives and drizzle olive oil. Serve with pita chips.