Tunisian harissa
Harissa tunecina
- Date
- c. century XVI · confidence low
- Place
- Nabeul, Cape Bon, Tunisia
- Credited to
- Cooks of Cape Bon, after the introduction of the American chilli pepper
- Field
- Life & health
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
A paste of roasted chillies, garlic, cumin, coriander and olive oil, pounded in a mortar and sun-dried to preserve it. It could only arise after American chillies arrived, probably with the Spanish presence in Tunisia between 1535 and 1574.
The date and route of the pepper's introduction are hypotheses (Spanish occupation of 1535-1574); there is no dated first recipe.
What it led to
- a basic condiment of Tunisian and Maghrebi cuisine
- preservation of peppers as paste in oil
- UNESCO recognition as Tunisia's intangible heritage and worldwide export