Green Paste: Zhoug Sauce

I’ve previously shared a few variations of the Italian-style green paste or pesto. Many other cuisines have their versions of a green paste to lift a meal. In this post I share a Middle Eastern version (Zhoug).

Zhoug

Zhoug sauce is a popular Middle Eastern condiment that is a different take on the green pastes or pestos that I have been sharing. It uses chilli and other spices to give a spicier, punchier flavour than the traditional Italian version.

1-3 whole chilli peppers (your choice of heat level or use chilli flakes)
2 garlic cloves
1 cup tightly packed coriander leaves (or parsley or mint or a combination)
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp caraway seeds (optional but good)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground peppercorns
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Toast the seeds in a dry pan or skillet over a medium heat-low heat until fragrant. (You can use ground spices instead of toasting the whole seeds but it won’t taste as good).

Place the toasted seeds and all the remaining ingredients (except the oil and lemon juice) in a food processor and pulse until well chopped.

Add the oil and lemon juice and pulse until you get a coarse paste. Add a bit more oil if you want a looser paste.

You can use the paste directly as a condiment with your Middle Eastern meals or add it to yoghurt for a different sauce.