I love spicy food. When I go the farmers market, I am always looking for the spiciest chili. So in summer when we get the fresh red thai chili in the market, I make at least a couple of batches of Harissa. It can perk up any dish pretty quickly.
I like to make these shrimps using Harissa, the dish comes together very quickly and can be served as a main dish or a salad.
Shrimps don’t need a lot of marination so this dish can be made in 20 minutes.
Although Harissa is Tunisian I feel that the Mediterranean flavors compliment it well. So I decide to bring those along.I also brought in some more Mediterranean flavors with a quick salad. I took some yellow and Red cherry tomatoes, chopped Persian cucumbers and mix them with fresh chopped mint and topped with feta cheese.
Here is the recipe.
Ingredients
- 20 large shrimps
- 1 large clove of garlic crushed
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 tbsp Harissa
- 1 tbsp oil
Method
Mix all the ingredients except to form a paste. Now add shrimps and mix well. Make sure all the shrimps are coated evenly with the paste.
Let them marinate for 20 mins or so.
Pomegranate molasses not only provides the sweetness to balance the heat from Harissa but also add a tangy flavor & color to the shrimps.
Grill on a grill plate or bbq. Brush the shrimps with some oil of needed to prevent them from sticking to the grill.
I like to thread some tomatoes or large zucchini pieces along with the shrimps, I feel it adds a Pop of color and texture.
You can serve the shrimps as a side with brown rice and some grilled fruit. Today I grilled some nectarines, the sweetness of the grilled fruit complimented the spice of harissa.
You can mix them with a lot of chopped herbs like basil and cilantro and serve as an appetizer. I love making this version in summer when the herbs are in abundance in the market.
I use Harissa in many dishes, like Pumpkin Shrimp curry, or Cheddar Muffins. Enjoy!
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