Bloomed Harissa Yogurt with Toasted Caraway

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A jar of harissa yogurt worth keeping on the door of the fridge: strained whole-milk yogurt whipped smooth, then swirled with harissa that's been bloomed in warm olive oil with freshly toasted caraway, cumin and garlic. Blooming the paste is the whole trick — it turns raw, tinny chile paste into something deep, rust-red and glossy that ribbons through the yogurt instead of muddying it. Preserved lemon and a hit of honey balance the heat. Good on roast carrots, lamb, chickpeas, eggs, rice bowls, or straight off a spoon with warm flatbread.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole-milk plain yogurt (not Greek)
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tbsp finely chopped preserved lemon rind (about 1/4 of a small preserved lemon, seeds removed)
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp honey

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp harissa paste (rose harissa if you have it)
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp smoked sweet paprika
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional, for more heat)

• 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint or cilantro
• Flaky sea salt

Instructions

1. Strain the yogurt: line a fine-mesh sieve with a double layer of cheesecloth or a clean coffee filter, set it over a bowl, and add the yogurt with 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt stirred in. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, until about 1/3 cup of whey has drained off and the yogurt is thick enough to hold a spoon mark. (Skip this step and start with 1 1/2 cups full-fat Greek yogurt if you're short on time.)
2. Toast the spices: in a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the caraway, cumin and coriander seeds, shaking constantly, for 60 to 90 seconds, until they smell nutty and a few seeds start to pop. Tip them immediately onto a plate to stop the cooking, then crush coarsely in a mortar or under the flat of a heavy knife.
3. Bloom the aromatics: return the skillet to low heat, add the olive oil and the sliced garlic, and cook gently for 2 to 3 minutes, until the garlic is pale gold at the edges but not browned. Burnt garlic will make the whole jar bitter, so pull the pan the moment it colors.
4. Add the crushed spices, harissa paste, tomato paste, smoked paprika and cayenne (if using). Cook over low heat, stirring almost constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes: the mixture will darken slightly, the oil will separate out around the edges and turn deep rust-red, and the raw, sharp smell will turn round and toasty. That separated oil is the sign it's done.
5. Scrape the harissa oil into a small bowl and let it cool to just barely warm, about 10 minutes. Adding it hot will thin and break the yogurt.
6. Scrape the strained yogurt into a bowl (discard the whey or save it for bread dough). Whisk hard for 30 seconds with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, the preserved lemon, lemon juice and honey until completely smooth and glossy.
7. Fold in the harissa oil: add about two-thirds of it and stir just 3 or 4 turns of the spoon so you get distinct red ribbons rather than a uniform pink. Taste and adjust with salt, lemon or a little more honey — it should read tangy first, then warm, then sweet at the very back.
8. Transfer to a clean 12-ounce jar or a shallow bowl, spoon the remaining harissa oil over the top, and scatter with mint and flaky salt. Serve right away, or seal and refrigerate at least 1 hour for the spices to settle in — it is noticeably better on day two.

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Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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