Homemade Zhoug
Green, herby, spicy, and delicious, Homemade Zhoug is a green dynamo condiment! Spoon it over grilled meats, veggies, and dips like homemade hummus. Prepare to be addicted!
What is Zhoug
Yemenite in origin and served in some form all over the Middle East, zhoug is kind of like the chili paste of the East. It has some kick to it but is more herby than anything else. Traditionally, it contains chopped herbs, garlic, chilies, and toasted spices.
How is it pronounced? I've heard zhoug pronounced many ways, but I say the "zh" like a soft "j" sound. Similar to how you pronounce the "s" in the words vision or pleasure. Yes, the English language is weird.
How is it used? It's delicious as a saucy drizzle over falafel, pita sandwiches, and chopped salads. But zhoug also complements dips, soups, and just about any dish that needs a green punch of flavor. Lately I've been spooning it over my morning eggs or stirring it into my plain yogurt for a savory breakfast.
While you can certainly hand-chop all the ingredients, a quick and easy way to make zhoug is in the blender or food processor. Just place the ingredients in the blender, pulse a few times, and it's ready.
Allowing the prepared sauce to sit for an hour-ish before serving is a good idea. It lets all the different flavors talk to each other and meld into one.
Lessons Learned
- My middle-aged tummy says one jalapeno is enough but you might not think so. The key here is to blend, taste, and make adjustments until you like it.
- Don't go crazy with the blender. You don't want a puree, but rather a sauce with some texture and small chunks. Over-blending causes the sauce to be watery.
- Once refrigerated, the olive oil in the zhoug will harden. To bring it back to a spoon-able consistency, allow the sauce to sit at room temperature for a few minutes.
Hat Tips
This recipe is adapted from many including the one from New York Times and Simply Recipes.
Homemade Zhoug
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: ⅔ cup 1x
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup of cilantro, leaves and stems
- ½ to ⅔ cup flat-leaf parsley, leaves and stems
- 1 jalapeno, stemmed and seeded
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ to ⅓ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Dump all the ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blitz for 5 or so pulses. Scrape down the sides and blitz again a couple of times.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add more salt, jalapeno, or garlic until it is to your liking. If you like a looser consistency, add a little more oil by the tablespoon.
- Serve with any meat dish, as a dipping sauce for bread/pita, or drizzle over soups. Keeps for 1 week in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature to let olive oil reconstitute.
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