Recipe: Sarab's Rose Harissa Fettuccini

Rose Harissa Fettuccini is Chef Sarab Kapoor's elegant adaptation of a traditional creamy Italian pasta.

The harissa paste provides a layering of gentle heat and also a smoky depth. And the yoghurt is a surprising addition, lending a mellow tang.

The author of Cook Love Eat with Sarab, Chef Kapoor, who is self-trained, applies her culinary skills flamboyantly to everything from Kashmiri lamb curry to white chocolate cheesecake.

Recipe: Rose Harissa Fettuccini

Ingredients

For the pasta:

• 300 gm fettuccini or a pasta of your choice
• Water, for boiling the pasta
• Salt to taste, about 2 tsp

For the sauce:

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 pods garlic, minced
• 100 gm cherry tomatoes

To blend into a harissa paste:

• 4 dried red chillies, boiled until soft
• ½ tsp brown dhania or coriander powder
• ½ tsp sonf or fennel powder
• ½ tsp jeera or cumin powder
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp tomato paste or sun-dried tomato paste
• 2 tsp edible rose petals
• 1 tsp rose water
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste, about 1½ tsp

For serving:

• 2 tbsp chopped parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp sliced olives
• ½ cup hung yoghurt or sour cream + extra for serving
• Edible flowers, optional

Method

• Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat.
  Cook the fettuccini until al dente according to packet instructions.
  Drain and keep aside.
• Blend the softened red chillies with the coriander, fennel, cumin powder, smoked paprika, tomato paste, rose petals, rose water, olive oil, salt in a mixer/blender into a smooth paste.
  Keep aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
  Add the chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent.
  Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
  No add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 2–3 minutes more until slightly softened.
  Stir in the prepared harissa paste, salt and 1 cup of water.
  Cook the sauce for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and the flavours meld together.
  Add in the cooked pasta to the sauce along with the chopped parsley, sliced olives.
  Toss well until evenly coated and heated through.
• Plate the pasta and finish with a generous dollop of the hung yoghurt/sour cream and the edible flowers on top.

Editor's Note: If you aren't partial to rose, consider adding an equivalent amount of pomegranate syrup which is often a preferred ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine.

Chef Sarab Kapoor lives in Singapore and is a television personality, cookbook author and culinary consultant.

• REDIFF FOOD