Kicha Ftft (spicy) Recipe

Roast vegetables

Preheat oven to 220°C (430°F) or prepare a hot stovetop griddle. Halve the red bell pepper and place bell pepper, whole garlic cloves (unpeeled), fresh red chilies, and quartered ripe tomatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over them. Roast until skins are charred and flesh is soft, about 18–25 minutes, turning once so they brown evenly.

Peel and blend

Let the roasted vegetables cool slightly. Peel the garlic and, if desired, remove skins from the red bell pepper and tomatoes. Place roasted tomatoes, bell pepper, garlic, fresh red chilies, tomato paste, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and sugar into a blender or food processor. Blend to a smooth but slightly textured sauce (silsi).

Simmer & finish

Pour the blended sauce into a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for 6–8 minutes to concentrate flavors and thicken slightly. Taste and adjust salt or heat. Stir in lemon juice and black pepper, then remove from heat and let cool to warm.

Prepare vegetables

While the silsi simmers, finely dice the fresh onion and tomato into roughly equal small pieces (about 1 cup each). Thinly slice the green chiles; remove seeds if you prefer less heat. If using cilantro, chop finely. If using yogurt, place it in a small bowl and whisk until smooth; optionally season with a pinch of salt and a few drops of lemon juice.

Warm pittas

Warm the pitta breads for 1–2 minutes on a hot skillet or in the oven at 180°C (350°F) until pliable and slightly puffed. This prevents cracking when stuffing and improves texture.

Assemble Kicha Ftft

Split or open each warm pitta if desired (or serve whole flat). Spread 2–3 tablespoons of warm silsi evenly over each pitta. Top with about 1/4 cup diced tomato and 1/4 cup diced onion per pitta. Scatter sliced green chile to taste across each. If using, add 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt on top or serve it on the side for dipping. Garnish with chopped cilantro if using.

Serve

Serve immediately while pittas are warm and sauce is slightly warm. Provide extra silsi, yogurt, and sliced chilies at the table so diners can adjust heat and creaminess to taste.