Zhug Recipe (Yemenite Green Hot Sauce with Chili Peppers, Herbs and Oil)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
9 mins
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Cook Time
1 min
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Total Time
10 mins
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Servings
10
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Calories
103 kcal
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Course
Side Dish, Condiments
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Cuisine
American, Middle Eastern
Zhug Recipe (Yemenite Green Hot Sauce with Chili Peppers, Herbs and Oil)
Description
The Zhug recipe starts by grinding whole spices—black peppercorns, cumin, coriander, and cardamom—into a coarse powder to form a fragrant base. Fresh herbs, chili peppers, garlic, and lemon juice are then combined in a food processor and pulsed lightly to preserve texture, avoiding over-processing. Olive oil is gradually incorporated to emulsify the sauce, resulting in a thick, oily, and chunky hot sauce with fresh herbal notes balanced by tangy lemon and warming spice.
Zhug’s medium-hot heat comes primarily from Serrano peppers, while dried chiles de arbol add smokiness. Its texture is chunky rather than smooth, making it ideal as a vibrant condiment for grilled meats, eggs, or bread. Stored airtight in the refrigerator, Zhug will keep for a couple of weeks, maintaining its bright flavors.
The recipe allows for heat adjustment by substituting milder peppers. Its balance of fresh herbs and warming spices makes it a distinctive, flavorful addition to meals needing a herbal and spicy enhancement.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
- ½ teaspoon cardamom seeds
- salt I use about a teaspoon, to taste
- 1 cup cilantro loosely packed
- 1 cup parsley loosely packed
- 5-6 Serrano peppers chopped
- 4-5 dried chiles de arbol coarsely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- lemon juice about 2-3 tablespoons, juice from 1 lemon
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Grind the peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and cardamom seeds in a mortar and pestal into a coarse powder. Alternatively, you can start with powdered versions of these ingredients. Add them to a food processor along with the salt.
- Add the remaining ingredients except for the olive oil to the food processor and pulse until the ingredients are chunky but combined. Do not overprocess or you’ll lose the desireable texture.
- Drizzle in the olive oil and pulse/process until the oil is emulsified and the remaining sauce is thick and chunky.
- Adjust for salt and use as needed.
Notes
- This recipe yields about 1.5 cups of sauce with a medium-hot level of heat due to Serrano peppers.
- Adjust the heat by using milder peppers if desired.
- Keep Zhug refrigerated in an airtight container to retain its flavor for up to two weeks.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 103 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 103kcal | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 1g | 0% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 5mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 65mg | 1% |
| Vitamin A | 695IU | 14% |
| Vitamin C | 10.1mg | 11% |
| Calcium | 13mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.6mg | 3% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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