Description
Ingredients
Units
- 1–3 whole jalapenos, sliced ( start with one, if unsure)
- 2 fat garlic cloves
- 1 bunch cilantro, small stems ok (about 1 cup packed tightly)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon (or whole seeds, please see notes)
- 1 teaspoon cumin- ground or whole seeds
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds- optional but good!
- 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns – optional
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
- 1/3 cup olive oil, more to desired consistency
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (Aleppo chili is nice), more to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Toast any whole seeds in a dry skillet over med-low heat until fragrant. Note: If using cardamom pods- crush the pods and remove the seeds- just toast the seeds. (Video is not accurate here.) Let cool slightly.
- Place the toasted spices and all the remaining ingredients (except the oil) in a food processor and pulse until it’s uniformly chopped. Add oil and lemon juice and pulse into a coarse paste. For a looser version, add a bit more oil.
- Taste for salt and heat, adding more if necessary.
- Add chili flakes if you like.
- Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to one week.
Notes
Toasted whole spices have the best flavor here! Remove cardamom seeds from the pods- leave the pods out. The video is not right. 😉 TIP: The cardamom is the star here, so make sure you use enough so you can taste it.
Chilies: Jalapeños are not traditional yet produce a very consistent and milder heat. You can swap them out for hotter serrano or other green chilies.
Herbs: Feel free to swap out the cilantro for flat-leaf parsley or even part fresh mint. You can also do a blend of all three!
Make Zhoug Yogurt: mix 1-2 tablespoons of Zhoug with a cup of yogurt, add more to taste. Taste, adjust salt.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 26
- Sugar: 0.2 g
- Sodium: 29.6 mg
- Fat: 2.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.3 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 0.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
