Ingredient appreciation — what makes Harissa special

What sets Harissa apart is the handling of dried apricots zardalu. In lesser versions this is treated as a background note. Here it's central and the rich from slow-cooked lamb result shows it. I've started buying it to cook with at home after this experience.

Armenia claims the world's oldest winery dating to 4100 BC and has a deep wine-making heritage. The a Yerevan restaurant atmosphere was right for this kind of food. I had pomegranate wine as recommended and it matched well. If you want to understand what makes this cuisine distinctive, Harissa is the place to start.