Zhoug (Yemeni Spicy Herb Sauce)

I discovered zhoug at a Middle Eastern deli counter, spooned generously over a plate of something else entirely, and spent the whole meal thinking about the sauce instead of the food it was sitting on. That is usually how it goes with a really good condiment, it quietly takes over.

Zhoug is a Yemeni herb and chile sauce, bright green, sharp with cilantro and parsley, warmed with cumin and cardamom rather than the smoky chile-garlic profile of our own Molho Piri-Piri Caseiro (recipe on the site). Different spice cabinet, same instinct: a spicy, garlicky sauce built to go on absolutely everything.

It lives in our fridge in a jar now, dolloped onto eggs, grilled fish, roasted vegetables, whatever needs waking up. Max sniffs at it and always declines, which tells you everything about how much heat is actually in here.

Zhoug Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes · Cook time: 0 minutes · Total: 10 minutes · Servings: about 1 1/2 cups · Calories: ~35 per tablespoon per serving

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 3 to 4 serrano or jalapeno peppers, seeded for less heat if desired
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Combine the cilantro, parsley, peppers, and garlic in a food processor.
2. Pulse until finely chopped.
3. Add the cumin, cardamom, caraway if using, salt, and lemon juice.
4. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil until you have a thick, spoonable sauce.
5. Taste and adjust the salt, heat, and lemon to your liking.
6. Transfer to a jar and top with a thin film of olive oil to help it keep.

Recipe Notes

• Control the heat by removing the pepper seeds and ribs, or by using fewer peppers to start and adding more to taste.
• Freeze extra zhoug in ice cube trays for single-serving portions that thaw fast.
• This is especially good spooned over our Piri-Piri chicken, fried eggs, grilled fish, or a simple grain bowl.
• Keeps refrigerated for 1 to 2 weeks under a film of olive oil.