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Zhug
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- Total Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- 10garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 4 to 8jalapeños, seeded and sliced
- 2teaspoons fresh lemon juice, more to taste
- 2packed cups roughly chopped cilantro leaves and stems
- 1teaspoon ground cumin
- ½teaspoon ground cardamom or coriander
- ¼teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¾teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), plus more to taste
Preparation
- Step 1
Place garlic, jalapeño and lemon juice in a food processor or blender, and pulse to combine, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container with a spatula when necessary.
- Step 2
Add cilantro, cumin, cardamom or coriander, and pepper, and purée until smooth. With the motor running, gradually drizzle in the olive oil to form a homogeneous paste. Pulse in salt. Taste, and add more salt and lemon juice if needed.
- Step 3
Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Use as a sauce for grilled or roasted meat or seafood, especially full-flavored fish like mackerel, tuna and salmon; spoon it over egg dishes like shakshuka and scrambled eggs; stir it into soups and stews; spread it on sandwiches, especially those filled with falafel, roasted vegetables, or mozzarella and tomato; swirl it into thick yogurt or hummus for a dip.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
Beware: Serranos are not remotely comparable to Jalapenos in spiciness. Measured in Scoville units (relative capsaicin content) Jalapenos range from 2500-8000, Serranos range 10,000-23,000. The only way to be certain about where a chile falls in its range of heat is to taste a sliver of it and then adjust the quantity you use. Unless your aim is maximum heat, always remove the seeds and rib fibers before using. It is also a good idea to wear gloves while cleaning chiles.
A tiny variation on zhug, add a couple of ripe kiwifruit (peeled and seeded, if you wish) to the mix for sweetness. We also use zhug on summer salads of only tomatoes and cucumbers.
The Cheeseboard in Berkeley makes a super spicy version of this they call "green sauce". I water it down (SUPER spicy) then freeze it in ice cube trays - and when frozen, put cubes in a ziploc. It takes me 6 months to get through them but still taste great.
I know you’ll have trouble saying this, but it’s pronounced zahowig or sahawig. It’s basically Yemeni salsa.
I will make this, but in the meantime, Trader Joe's carries a version of it which I really like.
Use some red or orange hot peppers for interesting color accent. A large pinch of fenugreek helps it taste fuller (the only description I can think of) If you cover the zhug in the jar with a little olive oil, it will last much longer than a week.
Try this tossed with hot pasta or stirred into rice or quinoa after cooking -- amazing. I also often use the Trader Joe's version.
my wife has the gene that makes cilantro greens taste like soap, so I use parsley and culantro (aka recao, shadow/chadon beni.) Veers it toward Trinidad green sauce. We have to grow this herb in a container to ensure a supply for the kitchen, but cilantro is so widely used it is worth it to have a substitute (that doesn't taste like soap!)
so fun! I didn't have fresh jalapenos so I used pickled. Delighted to find a new way to dress up my wilting herbs
In my experience, this is most commonly made with hot chilis like birds eye chilies, and less commonly jalapenos. Jalapenos are a good option for toning down the spice, or giving it a different flavor profile. My personal preference is to use coriander for the base over cardamom and then choosing to add cardamom and/or caraway seed if desired.
makes a great pizza sauce too, and yes, the Trader Joe's version is also excellent.
Solid recipe, though I would not call this anywhere near "searingly" spicy. I even left the seeds and ribs of the jalapeños in and it isn't more spicy than a "hot" salsa. But the flavor balance is good - I tend to like more acidity, so I upped the lemon juice.
I made this with fewer jalapeños and less garlic and then froze it in ice cube trays. Later, I popped a couple out and blended it with an avocado, a couple tablespoons of lime juice and a little more salt to make a salsa. Really good over sweet potatoes!
Delicious! I love to eat my greens blended, and any green sauce. Used this on burritos, eggs, Mary’s crackers dip, etc. Used pickled jalapeños since I always have some in the fridge. My new favorite salsa alternative, especially while tomatoes are not in seasons.
Fab! Looked for a recipe to use up a lovely bunch of coriander and we had this with salads, sambousek, falafel, hummus and flat breads. Didn't have ground coriander and couldn't be bothered grinding up cardamom so subbed with sumac - totally different flavour profile but kinda on brand.
Contrary to what others say, this sauce is pronounced "tskhoog" in Israel, which has a large number of people whose families have Yemenite roots. Also, it often has a bit of ground fenugreek in it.
Try this tossed with hot pasta or stirred into rice or quinoa after cooking -- amazing. I also often use the Trader Joe's version.
Absolutely great sauce, which my family used for breakfast, lunch and dinner on eggs, in sandwiches and on meat. I used 5 seeded Jalapenos and my heat loving relatives asked me to go up on the jalapenos next time.
How long can this keep in fridge? Can it be frozen like pesto (without cheese)?
I have a jar of it I purchased in Israel over 10 years ago. I still use it and it hasn't gone bad. Add a bit to chicken soup.
my wife has the gene that makes cilantro greens taste like soap, so I use parsley and culantro (aka recao, shadow/chadon beni.) Veers it toward Trinidad green sauce. We have to grow this herb in a container to ensure a supply for the kitchen, but cilantro is so widely used it is worth it to have a substitute (that doesn't taste like soap!)
I will make this, but in the meantime, Trader Joe's carries a version of it which I really like.
Use some red or orange hot peppers for interesting color accent. A large pinch of fenugreek helps it taste fuller (the only description I can think of) If you cover the zhug in the jar with a little olive oil, it will last much longer than a week.
so fun! I didn't have fresh jalapenos so I used pickled. Delighted to find a new way to dress up my wilting herbs
I know you’ll have trouble saying this, but it’s pronounced zahowig or sahawig. It’s basically Yemeni salsa.
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