ALL ABOUT HARISSA

The cook controls the intensity of the heat in harissa, which will depend on which chile you use. If it's dried ancho chiles (which are large and mild), you'll have a milder flavor than if you use small dried red peppers, such as cayenne. (Often, the packaging indicates the level of heat for a particular chile. Chipotles, for example, are rated 5.5 on a 10-point scale; ancho chiles are at 3.5.)

You can find the chiles already ground in some supermarkets that carry a variety of Mexican chile seasonings. Or you can buy the dried peppers whole and grind them yourself. To grind whole dried chiles, first remove the stems and, if possible, scrape out the seeds if the peppers are hot (wear gloves to protect your hands from the oils). Process to a powder using a blender or food processor. A 1-ounce package of dried chiles makes more than enough ground chile for this recipe.