SCHUG (OR ZHUG/ZHOUG),
A SPICY YEMENITE CONDIMENT
This bright, spicy and herbaceous condiment came to Israel with Yemenite immigrants and became a staple condiment in Israeli cuisine.
Variations of this addictive paste range from using green or red hot peppers. Some like to add spices to it like cardamom and coriander and some Yemenite families like to keep it simple and hold back on the spices. As with all traditional recipes, variations are vast across the families who make them.
A vibrant oomph of flavor is sure to be added to anything it touches.
Schug
2 big bunches of cilantro, remove the last ¼ of the stem, wash and dried
4 Jalapenos, remove top and seeds
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup oil olive
2 tablespoon New York Shuk Preserved Lemon Paste
⅛ teaspoon New York Shuk Kafe Hawaij
¼ teaspoon salt
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In a food processor blend everything together until you get the consistency of pesto.
Taste for seasoning and add more salt, acid (preserved lemon paste), spice (kafe hawaij) or heat (jalapenos) according to your taste.
Few notes:
Jalapeños: Taste the jalapeños for heat. Their heat level changes quite frequently depending on the season. If they are not spicy enough for your taste add a teaspoon of dried chili flakes.
Garlic: I try not to go overboard with adding fresh garlic to my condiments, but if you like it super garlicky, you can up from 2 cloves to 4 (and more) easily.
Spices: Our kafe hawaij is perfect for schug. But if you would like a different flavor you can opt for just salt & pepper. Or play around with one or all of these spices; cardamom, cumin, coriander, clove. Just remember that a little goes a long way and you don't want it to overpower.
Oil: Some traditional variations don’t even have oil in them. I like the consistency the oil brings. You can also substitute olive oil to any flavorless oil you like.
Food processor: While I use the food processor for the sake of convenience- the traditional way is to make the Schug in a meat grinder.
I MADE SCHUG, NOW WHAT?
Upgrade your sandwiches
From a simple cheese toast to cold cuts to a steak sandwich, a dollop of schug will give you a nice and bright kick.
Spoon over your grilled/roasted meat, fish & vegetables
The vibrant flavors of the schug work really well with steak, lamb kebab, shrimp, salmon, vegetable skewers, chicken, swordfish and more. When you remove from the grill, brush or spoon over the schug. Put as much or as little as you like.
Mix into your salads
The acidity and heat gives any salad a nice punch. From a simple green salad, to your favorite grain salad- just add a heaping tablespoon to your usual salad dressing.
Drizzle onto your dips
When serving your favorite dips; hummus, labneh, guacamole- add a dollop of schug on the plate, or mix with more olive oil and drizzle all over.
Kafe Hawaij recipes, preserved lemon paste recipes, dips/sauces/condiments/dressing recipes