Hey Pinkscarf!! I live in DC now but my parents are in NM. We lived in Tunisia when I was little, so my family has been making harissa for pretty much all my life. I have given this a lot of thought, and sadly, I don't think it's a recipe that's safe to can, because of all the oil. However, it lasts a really really long time in the refrigerator if you make sure to always keep a very thick layer of olive oil over the top. The oil will solidify in the fridge so you can just push it aside to get your harissa and at the end you have great harissa olive oil to cook with. I probably make it once everyone one to two months, and I usually don't have problems with spoilage. Plus, if you want to give it as a gift, it's fine at room temperature for a limited amount of time. My parents used to mail it to me when I was in college and I had minimal spoilage issues.

amsunshine, what are your goals exactly? You're looking for something that will rinse more easily and not leave a residue that causes rashes? It must have no enzymes? It seems that the main purpose of water softeners in detergents is to inactivate the mineral ions so that THEY don't inactivate the cleaning agents. It's all about cleaning power. I've done quite a bit of research now, yet I never read a WORD about rinsability of these detergents. I now have 8 or so different detergents I'm testing, and only one mentions rinsing out cleanly: it is a scent-free product for deer hunters to wash their special gear in. It says nothing about ingredients, so I have no idea if it contains anything special. I think sshrivastava already mentioned this, but citric acid does form SOLUBLE complexes with the mineral ions. So it should rinse easily, and maybe adding some to detergent will boost cleaning and rinsing for your hard water conditions. IIRC you recently got an HE machine. Did you have problems with rinsing or rashes with your old machine? My mother has naturally very soft water (not softened). She has a traditional TL that uses tons of water. And she uses a high water level for fairly small loads of clothes. She uses TINY amounts of detergent, because of course in the soft water, they suds like crazy. She will only use certain detergents because she says others cause her skin rashes. I'm thinking that if SHE can't get everything to rinse out of her fabrics so as not to irritate sensitive skin, who can? Not that I want to discourage you...but it seems like a hard problem.

Review the recipes on page 4. It is step 1 in the recipe where the citric acid is added to water then the herbs or garlic is added for at least 24 hrs soak. This increases the acidity in the garlic or herbs prior to infusing with the oil.

Yes they can be used safely but just as with sugars, salts and other bulk condiments they don't always weigh or measure the same. We encounter this most commonly with the different types of salts. So if they do not come with equivalency instructions then you have to figure out the equivalent weight to determine the measurement. In most cases the granules in the generics are larger, a more coarse grind. There are some exceptions but you have to really shop around to find them. You will at least have to do a comparison of the granule size to determine if it is close enough for your peace of mind. Or you'll need to find the gram weight of the Ball 1/2 and 1/4 tsp and then weigh the generic to get the same number of grams. In the past I have intentionally bought the most coarse grind in bulk and then further grind it myself with a mortar and pestle until it is the fine powder consistency of the Ball product. Of course be sure you are buying the food grade too. Dave