Traditions with harissa

Harissa is a hot chilli paste from Tunisia, made with roasted peppers, garlic, caraway, coriander and olive oil, and used in the cooking of Tunisia, Algeria, Libya and Morocco. It is stirred into stews, couscous and soups, served on the side, spread on bread and used as a marinade. Families make it each summer when the peppers ripen, in a communal task. UNESCO has inscribed the knowledge of harissa in Tunisia as heritage. These pages describe where it is used.

Where it is used

In Tunisia, harissa goes with the breakfast dish lablabi, the sandwich fricasse, couscous with fish and the tuna and egg brik. In Libya and Algeria, it is served at table with every meal, and in France, it is part of the North African dishes eaten at home and in restaurants. In Israel, Tunisian Jews brought it, and it features in shakshuka and sabich.

What it means

Making harissa in summer is a women's gathering in Tunisian villages, with peppers dried on rooftops and pounded in mortars, and each household's paste is its signature. A jar is given to relatives, and a bride may bring harissa to her new home. A dish of it on the table says that the cook is generous, and that guests may add as much heat as they wish.