Easy Muhammara (Spicy Red Pepper & Walnut Dip)

A.K.A. that smoky, zingy dip you’ll want to eat with a spoon.

Let’s be honest - store-bought dips are fine, but they’ve got nothing on this spicy, nutty, Middle Eastern lil' number made from roast red capsicums and pantry bits you probably already forgot you had. Bonus points: this recipe is a food waste hero - perfect for using up soft capsicums, stale bread, or the last scoop of that tahini jar lurking in your fridge door.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 red capsicums (slightly wrinkly? Even better)
• ¾ cup walnuts (or you can use almonds!)
• 1 small clove garlic
• 1 slice stale bread (or a small handful of breadcrumbs)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (or a splash of vinegar if lemons are MIA)
• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses (or a teeny drizzle of honey + splash of vinegar)
• 1 tbsp tahini (optional but lush)
• ½–1 tsp ground cumin
• ¼–½ tsp cayenne or chilli flakes (dial it up or down depending on spice-tolerance levels)
• Salt & pepper, to taste

METHOD

1. Roast your capsicums – chuck them under the grill, on a BBQ, or straight onto a gas flame. Let them get blistered and blackened all over.
2. You’ve got two options now:
   1. If you like it super silky, cover the hot roasted capsicums in a bowl with a plate on top, let them steam for 10 mins, then peel off the skins.
   2. Or skip the peeling and blitz them skin on - especially if you hate wasting food (or just can't be bothered). Slightly more texture, but still super tasty.
3. Toast your walnuts (or nuts of choice) in a dry pan until golden and fragrant.
4. Soak the bread in water for a minute, then squeeze out the excess.
5. Chuck everything into a blender: roasted capsicums, walnuts, garlic, soaked bread, oil, lemon, molasses (or swap), tahini, cumin, chilli, salt and pepper. Blend till smooth-ish. A bit of texture is a good thing.
6. Taste and tweak – maybe a bit more lemon or chilli? Go on then.
   

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HOW TO ENJOY

• Spread on toast with avo and a fried egg
• Dunk with crackers or crunchy veg
• Dolloped onto roasted kumara or grain bowls
• On the side of your next BBQ feast
• Or just eaten from the jar with a spoon when no one's watching