This is another of those middle Eastern recipes that I go to for something healthy, quick and flavourful. With a few walnuts and a jar of roasted capsicum it can come together quickly, but it does make a lot of washing up – food processor, fry pan, breadboard and whatever is use to weigh everything.

For looks and ease of getting it together though, the dip is a winner.

Add it to the repertoire that includes flat bread, hummus and tabbouli as an easy emergency meal to supplement something like a BBQ chicken.

MUHAMMARA

MUHAMMARA (ROASTED CAPSICUM DIP)

MUHAMMARA (ROASTED CAPSICUM DIP)

Ingredients

  • 450g jar roasted capsicum or 6-8 fresh red capsicum, roasted and peeled
  • 100g walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
  • 40g panko or breadcrumbs (for thickening – optional)
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
  • 2 tbs pomegranate molasses
  • ½ tbs fresh lime or lemon juice, more to taste
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cumin, more to taste
  • ½ tsp sea salt, adjust to taste

Adjust flavours:

  • Honey, extra salt and lemon juice to taste

For serving – any combination of the following (optional)

  • 1 sprig fresh mint leaves, washed, dried and chopped
  • 2 tbs pomegranate seeds
  • Coriander, washed, dried and chopped
  • Chopped walnuts
  • Parsley, washed, dried and chopped

Instructions

  1. Slice off capsicums cheeks and roast at 200°C, or char in an air fryer at 200°C,  until the skins are blackened and blistered all over — about 20–25 minutes in the air fryer, 35–40 minutes in the oven.
  2. Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly and leave to steam for 10 minutes. Peel off the skins with your fingers — do not rinse under water or you will lose the smoky flavour. Remove seeds and membranes and roughly chop the flesh.
  3. Alternately use a jar of roasted capsicum and simply wipe the oil off with paper towel and roughly chop.
  4. Toast walnuts in a dry pan or air fryer at 160°C for 5–6 minutes, shaking halfway. Watch carefully — walnuts go from toasted to burnt quickly. Spread out to cool and crisp.
  5. Place capsicum, walnuts, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, chilli flakes, pomegranate molasses and lemon juice into a large bowl of a food processor. Pulse until roughly combined — keep it chunky, not smooth.
  6. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Taste and adjust salt, lemon and chilli. Add breadcrumbs if the dip is too loose.
  7. Taste and adjust the salt, lemon and chilli. Usually I need to add more of all of the flavours including salt, lime juice, cumin and sometimes honey. Pulse a bit more to combine and continue to adjust the flavours.
  8. Transfer the dip to a large flat serving bowl. Swirl a spiral on the top with the back of a spoon to create a ditch for the oil. Drizzle in some olive oil and garnish with finely chopped walnuts, dust with sumac or a selection of the optional toppings. I like to put them in sections so the flavours will be different from wherever the dip is tasted.
  9. Would be great served with cheese and a toasted cob or any rustic type of biscuit.

Notes

Make this the day before — it is noticeably better after a night in the fridge. Cover the surface with a thin layer of olive oil before refrigerating to keep it fresh.

Pomegranate molasses varies in thickness and intensity. If yours is very thick, warm it slightly before measuring. Taste as you go — the balance between sweet, sour and smoky is what you are looking for.

The air fryer is the fastest way to char capsicums and produces excellent results. A gas flame directly on the burner also works well for a few capsicums.

Sumac on top is the right finishing touch — its tartness complements the pomegranate and the colour looks beautiful on the table.

Serve with focaccia, flatbread or pita for scooping. Keeps well in the fridge for up to a week.