Recipe: Red Pepper Dip / Salad (Mahamara)

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).