Harissa

Harissa (Arabic: هريسة, romanized: harīsa, from Tunisian Arabic) is a Tunisian hot chili pepper paste. Peppers in the country were first grown in the Cape Bon Peninsula, birthplace of the condiment, with Nabeul famous for being the primary center for its production. The main ingredients are roasted red peppers, Baklouti peppers, spices and herbs such as garlic paste, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, cumin and olive oil to carry the oil-soluble flavors. Tunisia is the biggest exporter of prepared harissa and UNESCO lists it as part of Tunisia's Intangible Cultural Heritage. The origin of harissa goes back to the importation of chili peppers into Tunisian cuisine by the Columbian exchange, presumably during the Spanish occupation of Hafsid Tunisia between 1535 and 1574.