harissa

harissa (hah-REE-suh, huh-RI-suh) - n., a spicy North African chili paste, used an ingredient and condiment.



Thanks, WikiMedia!

So mashed up chili peppers along with other spices such as garlic, cumin, coriander, olive oil, and salt. From Arabic, natch, from a root with the sense pound/crush/mash.

---L.