Zhug (Yemeni Hot Paste)

Yemeni cooking is characterized by its extremely hot & fiery dishes and nothing exemplifies this more than zhug(zhough), a green chilli-cardamom paste.Zhug is found on every Yemeni table.It is used as a condiment in all kinds of dishes from soups, stews,meat dishes, and as a dip for bread.No Yemeni meal is complete without the addition of this paste.The following recipe yields enough for a small jar which considering the amount of chillies it has,only a small amount is required.

Yield:1 1/2 c

Ingredients:

4-6 fresh green chillies, chopped

6 cloves of garlic, peeled & roughly chopped

1/4 tsp. ground cardamom

a handful fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. olive oil

1. In a blender or food processor,puree the chillies.Add the garlic , cardamom and puree again.Add the remaining ingredients.Blend well.


2. Put the zhug in a glass jar and keep it in the refrigerator until rready to use.