Recipe: Red Pepper Dip / Salad (Mahamara)

MAHAMARA (RED PEPPER DIP) COMBINES YOGURT AND SPICES WITH HEARTY CHICKPEAS

From the Vitality Food Feature ‘A HEALTHY VEGETARIAN FEAST‘.

This tasty well-known Aleppo dish, usually served as an appetizer, adds colour to any meal.  (Serves 8)

Ingredients

  • 1 + 1/2 cups ground walnuts
  • 4 large sweet red peppers
  • 1 Tbsp pomegranate syrup, dissolved in 2 Tbsp water
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne
  • 4 Tbsp pine nuts
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil

1) Place walnuts in a mixing bowl and set aside.

2) Place peppers in the oven, then bake for about an hour, turning them over a number of times until they blister on all sides.

3) Remove red peppers from the oven and allow to cool, then remove and discard skin and seeds.

4) Chop very finely, then combine with walnuts and remaining ingredients, except pine nuts and olive oil.

5) Spread on a platter, then chill. Just before serving, decorate with pine nuts, and sprinkle with olive oil.

6) Serve with crackers or Arab bread (pita).

Habeeb Salloum’s articles have been published in the Toronto Star, Backwoods Home Magazine, Forever Young Information Magazine, and Vegetarian Journal, among others. His most recent book Asian Cooking Made Simple – A Culinary Journey Along the Silk Road and Beyond is available at amazon at: https://tinyurl.com/zk3ueyv

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked*

Recent Posts

High-Functioning Depression: The Silent Struggle of Those Who Seem Fine

“Life can be hard sometimes” is a sentiment many people share. It’s only in recent… Read More

3 days ago

Make Your Own Chinese Health Tonic with Garlic and Vinegar

(Originally published in 2018; Updated in 2025) Many people know that vinegar and garlic are… Read More

4 days ago

Health on the Hill: Health Canada Censorship is Going Too Far

  Imagine you are responsible for Canada’s health policy.  Would you choose to censor truthful… Read More

4 days ago

Ease Your Mind and Uplift Your Spirit with Lemon Balm

(Originally published in 2017; Updated in 2025) Relax and take cheer; Lemon Balm is here.… Read More

1 week ago

Ask the Doctor: Is there a Natural Approach to Ringing in the Ears?

(Originally published in 2009: Updated in 2025) Dear Dr. Rona,  What do you have for… Read More

2 weeks ago

Woodford Files – On Solar Medicine, Edible Flowers, and Getting Out of Town for a Healthy Holiday

Wow, what a year it's been so far – a year of transformation for people… Read More

4 weeks ago

This website uses cookies.

Read More