Muhammara (Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip)

Muhammara

For serving (optional)

Pantry swaps

Method

1. Drain the jarred roasted red peppers but do not rinse – rinsing waters down the dip. Pat them dry with a clean towel to remove as much moisture as you can, then tear them into pieces with your hands.
2. Set aside 1 or 2 walnuts for the garnish and finely chop them.
3. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the walnuts and toast for 3 minutes or until fragrant, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the panko breadcrumbs and toast for 3 more minutes, until the walnuts are aromatic and the breadcrumbs are golden brown, stirring frequently – do not walk away, the breadcrumbs burn quickly. Take the pan off the heat.
5. In a food processor, combine the walnut-breadcrumb mixture and the chopped garlic. Blend until everything is broken down into fine crumbs.
6. Add the drained roasted peppers, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, Aleppo pepper, cumin, and salt. Pulse repeatedly until the dip is mostly smooth but still a bit chunky. Taste and adjust: more pomegranate molasses or lemon for tang, more salt to round out the flavors.
7. For an entirely smooth consistency, blend continuously instead of pulsing.
8. Transfer the dip to a serving plate, use the back of a spoon to create waves, drizzle with good olive oil, and garnish with the reserved chopped walnuts and, if you like, fresh mint and pomegranate seeds.

Notes

Servings: 8 (per serving). Per serving: 184 kcal, 3 g protein, 10 g carbs, 15 g fat, 2 g fiber. Macros are estimates from USDA values; garlic counted at 6 g and the jarred peppers at their 450 g jar weight, though drained weight is lower, so actual numbers will run a little lower.

The shortcut is jarred roasted red peppers, which the creator says she uses 90% of the time – no roasting, no peeling, and the dip comes together in 15 minutes or less. If you prefer the traditional route, roast 3 medium/large red bell peppers yourself: halve them lengthwise, remove stems, seeds, and membranes, place cut-side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan, and roast at 450 F (230 C) for 12 to 15 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees and roast 10 to 15 minutes more, until the skins are charred and the peppers are soft. Steam under a tight layer of plastic wrap for 10 minutes, then peel the skins and slice into strips. You will likely need a bit more lemon juice and salt if you use freshly roasted peppers.

Do not skip the pomegranate molasses – it is the reason the dip is so addictively tangy. Buy pure pomegranate molasses made from 100% pomegranate juice (Al Wadi is the creator’s pick) from a Middle Eastern grocer or online. The dip keeps about a week in the fridge and doubles as a sandwich spread or wrap filling.

Source: Nisha Vora (Rainbow Plant Life) on YouTube, with the printable recipe card from rainbowplantlife.com/muhammara/ linked in the video description. Quantities for the peppers, panko, pomegranate molasses, and salt are from that card; the rest are spoken exactly in the video.