Facts About Zhug
Zhug, sahawiq or bisbas is a hot sauce originating in the Yemeni cuisine. In other countries of the Arabian Peninsula it is also called mabboj.
Varieties
Varieties in Yemen include sahawiq akhdar (green sahawiq), sahawiq ahmar (red sahawiq), and sahawiq bel-jiben (sahawiq with cheese, usually Yemeni cheese). Sahawiq is one of the main ingredients of Saltah. Wazif (traditional Yemeni dried baby sardines) is sometimes added to the Sahawiq's ingredients and it is known as Sahawiq Wazif (Arabic: سحاوق وزف).
In Israel, one can find skhug adom ("red skhug"), skhug yarok ("green skhug") and skhug khum ("brown skhug"), which has added tomatoes. Zhug may be referred to by the generic term harif (Hebrew: חריף; lit. "hot/spicy"). Also known as zhoug, it is a popular condiment at Israeli falafel and shawarma stands, and served with hummus.
Preparation
Zhug is made from fresh red or green hot peppers seasoned with coriander, garlic, salt, black cumin (optional) and various spices. Some also add caraway seed. Zhug may be red or green depending on the type of peppers used.
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. Other alternatives are a mortar and pestle or a food processor. Yemenis sometimes add Pulicaria jaubertii.
Photo: Maor X / CC BY-SA 4.0 / en.wikipedia.org
Saudi Arabia