Green zhug | |
| Alternative names | Harif, ma'booj, sahawiq, sahowqa, skhug |
|---|---|
| Type | Condiment |
| Place of origin | Yemen |
| Main ingredients | Hot peppers, garlic, coriander |
| Variations | Red skhug, green skhug, brown skhug |
| Part of a series on |
| Arab cuisine |
|---|
Zhug (Hebrew: סְחוּג, romanized: s'ḥug), sahawiq (Yemeni Arabic: سَحاوِق) or bisbas (Somali: bisbaas) is a hot sauce originating in Yemeni cuisine. In other countries of the Arabian Peninsula it is also called ma'booj (Arabic: معبوج).[1]
The word sahawiq comes from the Arabic root (s-ḥ-q) which means to pestle or to crush.
Varieties in Yemen include sahawiq akhdar (green sahawiq), sahawiq ahmar (red sahawiq), and sahawiq bel-jiben (sahawiq with cheese, usually Yemeni cheese).[2] Sahawiq is one of the main ingredients of saltah.[3] Wazif (traditional Yemeni dried baby sardines) is sometimes added to the sahawiq's ingredients and it is known as sahawiq wazif (Arabic: سحاوق وزف).[4]
In Israel, one can find skhug adom ("red zhug"), skhug yarok ("green zhug") and skhug khum ("brown zhug"), which has added tomatoes.[citation needed] Red zhug is made with red peppers while green zhug is made with green peppers, or jalapeños.[5] Zhug may be referred to by the generic term harif (Hebrew: חריף; lit. "hot/spicy"). Also known as zhoug,[6][7][8] it is a popular condiment at Israeli falafel and shawarma stands, and served with hummus.[9]
Zhug is made from fresh red or green hot peppers (like jalapeño[10]) seasoned with coriander, garlic, salt, black cumin (optional) and parsley, and then mixed with olive oil.[11][12][13] Some also add lemon juice,[10] caraway seed, cardamom, and black pepper.
Traditional Yemeni cooks prepare sahawiq using two stones: a large stone called marha' (مرهى) used as a work surface and a smaller one called wdi (ودي) for crushing the ingredients. Alternative options are a mortar and pestle or a food processor.[14] Yemenis sometimes add Pulicaria jaubertii.[15]
