Schug
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
5 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
20 mins
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Servings
32 servings
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Calories
151 kcal
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Course
Side Dish
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Cuisine
Middle Eastern
Schug
Description
The Schug recipe combines stemmed and seeded jalapeño peppers with fresh cilantro and parsley, garlic, and a blend of fragrant spices including cardamom, caraway seeds, cumin, black pepper, and salt. Olive oil incorporates the ingredients smoothly while preserving texture. The sauce is pulsed in a food processor rather than pureed completely, maintaining a rustic consistency with visible herb pieces.
The resulting flavor is pungent and spicy from jalapeños, deeply herbal from the parsley and cilantro, and subtly warm and earthy from the cardamom and cumin. This balance makes Schug a vibrant condiment that adds layered spice and freshness to grilled meats, sandwiches, or Middle Eastern dishes.
It serves well in small amounts due to its intense flavor, typically about a tablespoon per serving. Wearing gloves during jalapeño prep protects the skin from capsaicin irritation, an important safety consideration noted in the recipe. Variations exist for dietary restrictions by adjusting spices.
Ingredients
- 10 whole jalapeno pepper
- 2 cups cilantro or one bunch, chopped
- 2 cups parsley or one bunch, chopped
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
- 6 cardamom pod or heaping 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
- 1/2 teaspoon caraway seed optional
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- Pinch black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or more as needed
Instructions
- Carefully stem and seed the jalapeño peppers. Wear gloves for this if possible; the peppers will leave a layer of capsaicin on your skin for 24-48 hours that can really make you miserable (your skin will feel burny and if you touch your eyes, they will burn badly). Best to wear gloves and avoid this misery! Discard the seeds and white pith, unless you REALLY love spicy flavors... then, reserve a few. I doubt you'll need them though.
- Remove the seeds from the cardamon pods and discard the green pods. If you don't have pods, substitute a heaping 1/4 tsp cardamom powder.
- Add the parsley to your food processor and roughly chop, then add the cilantro and roughly chop. Make sure it's rough, you don't want an herb puree here... bits, pieces and stems are fine at this point.
- Place the jalapeños, garlic, salt, cardamom seeds (or powder), caraway seeds, cumin, pepper and olive oil into the food processor.
- Pulse the mixture, scraping the sides periodically, until the whole thing begins to resemble a pesto-like consistency-- not super smooth, a little texture is good.Taste the mixture. Careful, it's hot! Add more salt to taste if needed (salt really makes the spicy flavors pop). If you want it hotter, you can blend in some additional jalapeño seeds. But seriously, it's plenty hot without the seeds. Add more olive oil for taste and texture, if desired.
- Keep it in a sealed jar or tupperware in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Check by smelling to ensure freshness. I don't recommend keeping longer than a week. Schug does freeze and defrost well; I often make a big batch and freeze in smaller 1/2 cup portions, which we thaw as needed.
Notes
- Wear gloves when prepping jalapeños to avoid skin irritation from capsaicin.
- Schug is strong and spicy; use about one tablespoon per serving to add heat and flavor.
- For Ashkenazi Passover, omit cardamom and caraway; substitute cinnamon, nutmeg, and anise seeds, keeping cumin.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 32servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 151 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 151kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 10g | 3% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 12g | 18% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 966mg | 40% |
| Potassium | 424mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 4950IU | 99% |
| Vitamin C | 76.1mg | 85% |
| Calcium | 111mg | 11% |
| Iron | 4.2mg | 23% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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