Muhammara

Another Ottolenghi recipe because honestly, that man does magic with Middle Eastern flavours and vegetables. Actually, that's how I first discovered him. I bought one of his vegetable-focused cookbooks and suddenly realised vegetables did not, in fact, have to be sad.

The thing with Ottolenghi recipes though is that they somehow manage to be both simple and wildly complicated at the same time. You look at the recipe and think, "Oh this seems manageable." And then suddenly you're sourcing twelve spices, three herbs, two condiments, and wondering whether you need a larger pantry. Or maybe a larger kitchen. Maybe even a larger apartment dedicated entirely to condiments.

Anyway. This is my adaptation of his muhammara recipe. Muhammara, if you've never had it, is this glorious Levantine roasted red pepper and walnut dip situation. Smoky, nutty, tangy, slightly sweet, rich, and deeply addictive. And honestly? One of my friends makes the BEST muhammara. Like genuinely unfair levels of good. So every time I make mine, I feel slightly judged by imaginary comparison. Still. Mine is good too.

Now, Ottolenghi's recipe uses breadcrumbs. I removed them entirely. I understand structurally why they exist. They absorb moisture and help thicken the dip. But honestly to me they just create this slightly dull, bready texture that makes the whole thing feel heavier and less vibrant. No thank you. I would much rather let the walnuts and peppers do the work properly.

And the real star here honestly is the pomegranate molasses. Do not be shy with it. The recipe might say one tablespoon, but if the dip tastes flat, the answer is usually more pomegranate molasses. That sharp sweet tangy smoky thing is what makes muhammara taste alive.

Also, Aleppo chilli flakes. Look. If you are a proper Asian person who grew up eating Thai food and bird's eye chillies, Aleppo chilli flakes barely register emotionally. But they do add warmth and colour and that slightly fruity smoky chilli flavour, so I still use them. And honestly, if you don't have Aleppo chilli flakes, just use regular chilli flakes. The kind you already have sitting around for pizza emergencies. Works perfectly.

I also roast the peppers until they're properly charred and I'm completely fine with some of the skin blending into the dip. I'm not standing there peeling every microscopic bit of pepper skin off with tweezers. Rustic. Chunky. Slightly smoky. That's the goal. And yes, this is one of those dips where you suddenly find yourself standing in front of the fridge with a spoon taking "just one more bite," and then somehow half the container is gone.