Pepper Molasses, or Muhammara Sauce

Ingredients

• 12 kg red sweet peppers, washed, well dried, and seeded
• 1 kg red hot peppers, washed, well dried, and seeded
• Coarse salt (just a handful during the sun-drying stage + 1/2 cup for preservation before placing them in jars)
• Vegetable oil (as needed)
• Note: We do not add olive oil because it changes the flavor of the peppers and is not suitable for this recipe.
• Turkish Muhammara Method:

Method

1. Place the sweet and hot peppers in batches in a food processor and blend them.
2. Spread them out in wide trays and sprinkle a handful of coarse salt over the peppers in the trays to prevent them from turning sour.
3. Leave them in the sun for 5 consecutive days (of course, cover them in the evening and keep them in a dry place), making sure to stir them several times a day with a clean spoon, especially the peppers around the edges of the trays, so they do not turn black.
4. After 5 days under strong sunlight and once you are sure they are completely free of water (they may need more time; that depends on your judgment), you should find that they have reduced to about 2 kg of pure pepper mixture. Add 1/2 cup of coarse crushed salt to this amount so it dissolves into the peppers.
5. Stir until the salt dissolves.
6. Then start adding the vegetable oil and continue stirring. Stop adding oil when you see the peppers have become glossy; this means they have absorbed enough oil (you should add enough oil to coat them, not cover them).
7. Divide the pepper molasses or muhammara sauce into airtight glass jars and seal them immediately.
8. Store in a dry place away from sunlight.
9. Pepper molasses is used to make muhammara manakish with onion and oregano, or with cheese. It can also be used to make Turkish muhammara sauce to serve as mezze alongside grilled meats.
10. Mix some pepper molasses with a little ground walnuts, crushed garlic, a little olive oil, and pomegranate molasses.
11. Pepper Molasses, or Muhammara, from our friend at What Are We Cooking Today?