Yemenite Z’hug (Green Herby Hot Sauce)

Yemenite Z’hug (Green Herby Hot Sauce)

Zhug or Zhoug, also known as sahawiq, bisbas, or maboj across the Middle East, has become an integral part of Israeli national cuisine thanks to the Yemenite Jewish community. This hot sauce, hailing from originally from Yemen, is packed with zingy and fiery flavors thanks to the addition of earthy cumin, fragrant cardamom, nutty coriander, and fresh herbs. 

Ingredients

• 1 bunch parsley (about 40 grams)
• 1 bunch cilantro (about 40 grams)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/2 heaping teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
• 1/4 cup tjabe rawit peppers, or a handful of another chili of your liking 
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Instructions

1. Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until uniformly and finely chopped into a paste, you want to retain some texture. Add additional olive oil if your blender needs a little extra help.

Notes

• You can use any chili pepper for this recipe, I used tjabe rawit peppers because that’s what I had on hand, but feel free to use thai chilies, serrano peppers, etc.