ZHUG (YEMENI CILANTRO-CHILE SAUCE)
About 1 cup
With the lesser amount of chiles, zhug is somewhat like Salsa Verde or Chimichurri: It’s a perky, herbal accompaniment to grilled meats and falafel, a dipping sauce, or a last-minute “enlivener” for soups and braises. With the larger amount of chiles, it’s better to think of zhug as a chunky hot sauce or relish. We like to add ground black cardamom seeds, which lend a subtle smoky, aromatic flavor.
Coarsely chop:
- 2 to 8 serrano peppers, seeded
- 4 garlic cloves
Add to a food processor and pulse a few times until finely chopped. Add and pulse into a chunky paste:
- 1 ½ cups packed coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and stems
- ½ cup packed coarsely chopped parsley leaves and stems
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground green or black cardamom seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- (½ teaspoon ground caraway)
The sauce will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 5 days.