Ingredients
- 1whole head of garlic, about 12 cloves, peeled
- 2 tspcoarse sea salt
- 2 tbspsweet paprika
- 1 tbspground cumin
- 1 tspground caraway seed (optional, eastern style)
- ½ tspcayenne or 1 tsp harissa (optional)
- 80 mlgood olive oil
- 1 tbspwater, if needed
Directions
- Put the peeled garlic and the coarse salt into a heavy mortar; the salt crystals are the abrasive that does the work, so do not reduce them.
- Pound with the pestle in a circular grinding motion for 3 to 4 minutes, until the garlic breaks down into a smooth ivory paste with no visible pieces.
- Add the paprika, cumin and caraway and keep grinding for another minute, until the spices are fully absorbed and the paste turns brick red and glossy.
- Work in the cayenne or harissa now if you want heat; heat is optional in dersa and many families leave it out entirely. Dribble in the olive oil a little at a time while turning the pestle, exactly as you would for aioli, until the paste is loose enough to fall thickly from a spoon.
Technique
- A mortar is not fussiness. Crushing bruises the garlic cells and releases a rounder, sweeter flavour, while a blender chops and aerates, giving a sharp, hot taste.
- Frying the paste is the essential step in almost every dish that uses it. Raw dersa stirred into liquid tastes flat and harshly of garlic.
- Keep it refrigerated and under oil, and use it inside a week. Garlic in oil at room temperature carries a real botulism risk.
Substitutions
- No mortar: chop the garlic with the salt on a board, then drag the flat of a knife across it repeatedly until it smears into a paste.
- Smoked paprika is not traditional and will dominate; if that is all you have, use half smoked and half sweet.
Variations
- Western Algerian dersa often stops at garlic, salt, paprika and oil, with no cumin at all.
- Constantine cooks lean on caraway, which gives the base of chtitha and dolma its distinctive note.
- A green dersa pounds in coriander leaf and parsley, used for grilled vegetables and for chakhchoukha sauces.
History
Crushed in a mortar at the start of cooking; dersa gives Algerian stews their red-gold colour and is the everyday alternative to Tunisian-style chili paste.
Frequently asked questions
What is Dersa?
Dersa is a sauce & condiment from Algeria: pounded garlic, cumin, paprika and oil, the base of countless Algerian sauces. Crushed in a mortar at the start of cooking; dersa gives Algerian stews their red-gold colour and is the everyday alternative to Tunisian-style chili paste.
How long does Dersa take to make?
Dersa takes 10 min of preparation and none, or 2 min frying when used of cooking. The recipe makes about 150 ml, enough for 4 to 6 dishes. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Dersa?
Yes, within limits. No mortar: chop the garlic with the salt on a board, then drag the flat of a knife across it repeatedly until it smears into a paste. Smoked paprika is not traditional and will dominate; if that is all you have, use half smoked and half sweet.
What is the most important thing to get right in Dersa?
Put the peeled garlic and the coarse salt into a heavy mortar; the salt crystals are the abrasive that does the work, so do not reduce them.
