Muhammara, The Best Middle-Eastern Spread That You Most Likely Never Heard About

Once you taste this tricky-to-pronounce treat, you could become easily addicted.

Photograph by the author and may not be reproduced with permission.

Muhammara (pronounced Mu-ham-mara) is a delectable red-colored Middle-Eastern spread. Yes, saying its name is a tongue twister, but the sensation on your tongue after eating is well worth the effort. I stumbled upon this delicious spread only a few years ago at a Turkish restaurant in London. I was immediately hooked. The taste is both spicy and tart, owing to the ingredients.

Its origins are thought to be from Syria and Turkey. Many recipes abound, but there are a few essential ingredients: roasted red bell peppers, pomegranate molasses, pepper, walnuts, and breadcrumbs. The name is derived from the Arabic word for “reddened.” It is often served with other dips on a cold Mezze platter with Middle-Eastern cooking. It can be eaten with pita bread, toast, vegetables, or meat and fish.

You can buy it in a jar, but like most foods, it is better to make your own. The hardest part is roasting, cooling, peeling, and chopping the peppers. You can cheat by buying jarred roasted red peppers, but there is that “jar’ thing again.

Here is my recipe for 4–6 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 large red bell peppers