01In brief
Pilpelchuma is a spicy paprika-and-garlic paste used as a basic ingredient in Tripolitanian cuisine. Often called "the jam of the Tripolitanians," it is kept on hand for dishes such as chraime and shakshuka, as well as stews and sandwiches. It belongs to the same North African family of pepper pastes as Tunisian harissa and Moroccan sahka. Recipes vary in heat, spices, preparation, and storage.
02Overview
Pilpelchuma is used in Tripolitanian cooking as a prepared flavor base rather than only as a table condiment. One recipe describes it as a basic ingredient worth keeping in a full jar in the refrigerator, while another source lists it in chraime, shakshuka, casseroles, stews, and sandwiches.[1][2]
The range of uses is also visible in individual recipes. A chraime formula calls for six tablespoons of pilpelchuma, or the same amount of Moroccan harissa, which is fried with dry spices before garlic and the other sauce ingredients are added.[6]
03Origins and Regional Context
Published comparisons identify pilpelchuma with Tripolitanian cuisine, harissa with Tunisian cuisine, and sahka with Moroccan cuisine.[3] These labels mark regional culinary associations, not a single standardized recipe.
One comparison says both harissa and pilpelchuma contain caraway, while the sahka it describes is based on preserved lemon and garlic.[3] A separate account of pilpelchuma includes cumin as well as caraway, illustrating the variation among published formulas.[2]
04Practice: Ingredients and Composition
Published recipes do not present one definitive formula. Common ingredients include paprika, garlic, salt, oil, and water, but their proportions and additions differ.[1][7] One account describes two levels of heat and a mixture of hot and sweet paprika, garlic, cumin, and caraway.[2] Chef Rafi Cohen's recipe instead uses sweet paprika with ground hot shata pepper, plus garlic, caraway, cumin, lemon juice, corn oil, and olive oil, producing about half a liter.[5]
Some formulas use a notably high ratio of garlic to paprika. A 2004 recipe calls for 15–20 peeled garlic cloves per 200 grams of hot paprika, with one cup of water and three tablespoons of sunflower or corn oil.[7] Other recipes include lemon juice,[1][5] while the 2004 formula omits it.[7]
05Practice: Preparation and Storage
Uncooked preparation is well documented. In one traditional family version, the paste is not cooked,[4] and a 2004 recipe begins by pounding garlic with salt before mixing in paprika, water, and oil.[7] That recipe directs cooks to store the paste in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator, where it keeps for about two months.[7]
Other cooks use heat. One recipe writer simmers pilpelchuma over very low heat for about half an hour to soften the strong flavor and aroma of raw garlic.[4] The oil should not bubble, and the mixture must be stirred to prevent the paprika and garlic from scorching.[4] Cohen's uncooked recipe rests the non-oil ingredients twice for three minutes before the oils are added.[5]
Storage guidance varies with the formula. The cooked version says it can be refrigerated for up to three months or frozen for up to a year, whereas Cohen's recipe gives a refrigerated life of up to two weeks in a clean jar.[4][5]
06Culinary Significance
North African spice pastes were traditionally prepared in advance; oil helped preserve them, and having the mixtures ready made it faster to season food for large families.[2] Pilpelchuma fits this practical pattern as both a stored household preparation and a recurring component of cooked dishes.[1][2]
Its uses extend from fish sauces to egg dishes, casseroles, stews, salads, and sandwiches.[2][4] The contrast between a full-jar household staple and the measured spoonfuls used in individual recipes helps explain why pilpelchuma is described as "the jam of the Tripolitanians."[1]
Sources
- 1Ynet, Flavors from Tripoli: 3 Recipes, accessed on October 7, 2026.
- 2Ynet, Sahka, Pilpelchuma and also Harissa: Spicy Recipes, accessed on October 7, 2026.
- 3Mako, A Recipe for Harissa, Sahka and Pilpelchuma, accessed on October 7, 2026.
- 4Mako, Easy Tripolitanian Recipes for Rosh Hashanah, accessed on October 7, 2026.
- 5Mako, Pilpelchuma | A Recipe by Chef Rafi Cohen, accessed on October 7, 2026.
- 6Ynetnews, Six recipes to make Nine Days easier, accessed on October 7, 2026.
- 7Ynet, From Tripoli with Love, accessed on October 7, 2026.
IsraelPedia Question & Answers
What is pilpelchuma?
Pilpelchuma is a spicy paprika-and-garlic paste used as a basic ingredient in Tripolitanian cuisine. Often called "the jam of the Tripolitanians," it is kept on hand for dishes such as chraime and shakshuka, as well as stews and sandwiches. It belongs to the same North African family of pepper pastes as Tunisian harissa and Moroccan sahka.
How does pilpelchuma relate to harissa and sahka?
Pilpelchuma, harissa, and sahka are all North African pepper pastes associated with different regional cuisines — pilpelchuma with Tripolitanian cooking, harissa with Tunisian cooking, and sahka with Moroccan cooking. These labels mark regional culinary associations rather than a single standardized recipe. Both harissa and pilpelchuma have been noted to contain caraway, while sahka is described as based on preserved lemon and garlic.
What are the main ingredients in pilpelchuma?
Published pilpelchuma recipes vary and do not present one definitive formula, but common ingredients include paprika, garlic, salt, oil, and water. Some formulas combine hot and sweet paprika and add spices such as cumin and caraway, while others incorporate lemon juice. One recipe uses a notably high ratio of garlic to paprika, calling for 15–20 peeled garlic cloves per 200 grams of hot paprika.
Is pilpelchuma cooked or left raw?
Both cooked and uncooked preparations are documented. In some traditional versions the paste is not cooked at all, while other cooks simmer it over very low heat for about half an hour to soften the strong flavor and aroma of raw garlic, taking care to stir the mixture and keep the oil from bubbling so the paprika and garlic do not scorch.
How long can pilpelchuma be stored?
Storage life depends on the preparation method. An uncooked formula from 2004 states the paste keeps for about two months in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator. A cooked version can be refrigerated for up to three months or frozen for up to a year, while chef Rafi Cohen's uncooked recipe gives a refrigerated life of up to two weeks in a clean jar.
Why was pilpelchuma traditionally prepared in advance?
North African spice pastes like pilpelchuma were traditionally made ahead of time because having them ready made it faster to season food for large families, and the oil used in the paste helped preserve it. Pilpelchuma fits this practical pattern as both a stored household staple and a recurring component of cooked dishes ranging from fish sauces and egg dishes to casseroles, stews, salads, and sandwiches.