Muhammara is a brown-red thick spicy dip made of roasted walnut and red bell peppers, served cold or at room temperature as an appetizer, or as a main breakfast dish.
It is popular across the Arab world, served next to grilled fish and beef dishes in most Levant and Turkish restaurants.
Muhammara is a light dish associated with Aleppo in Syria. People usually enjoy eating it as one of a mezze platter selection on the table during Ramadan, especially in Turkey, Palestine, Jordan, and Lebanon.
It is believed that the dip arrived in Saudi Arabia through the Shami people, who came to perform Hajj or Umrah or to trade.
With the rise of veganism, some people depend on the side dish as their go-to main snack. Our recipe, however, is designed to allow everyone to enjoy the dip worry-free.
To make Muhammara, you need two red bell peppers, one red onion, four garlic cloves, one red chilli, pomegranate molasses, fresh lemon juice, two tablespoons of olive oil, 50 grams of toasted walnuts, salt and pepper.
First, preheat the oven to 220 C to toast the walnuts for 20 minutes, to get a delicious roasted flavor. Then roast the red bell peppers on an open burner until the flesh is softened and roasted through, so you can peel off the skin easily and get a smoky taste.
Toss all the ingredients into a food processor, season it with salt and pepper, add the walnuts and blitz until you get a smooth, homogeneous mixture.
Spread the muhammara on a plate, and keep in in the fridge.
Once it is iftar time, drizzle it with olive oil, garnish with any greens, and serve it with a bread of your choice.
