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Yemeni · Israeli

Red zhug (zhug adom)

Vegetarian

סחוג אדום · skhug adom

Fresh red chillies pounded with plenty of garlic, cumin, cardamom, coriander and black pepper and loosened with olive oil into a coarse, fiery relish. The red counterpart of green zhug, with less herb and more chilli sweetness.

Red zhug (zhug adom) is a Yemeni condiment, ready in about 45 minutes and made with fresh red chilli and garlic. It serves 12 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
0 min
Rest
30 min
Total
45 min
Serves
12
Level
Beginner
Calories
49

Ingredients

12 servings (about 18 g)

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Wearing gloves if your skin is sensitive, stem the chillies, deseed about half of them and roughly chop. Roughly chop the coriander.

    Food safety: Keep chilli-covered hands away from your eyes; wash them, the knife and the board straight afterwards.

    Fresh herbs being chopped
    How it looks · Photo: RDNE Stock project on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Pulse the garlic (opens in a new tab), cumin, cardamom, ground coriander (opens in a new tab), black pepper (opens in a new tab) and salt in the food processor (opens in a new tab) (or pound in a mortar) to a rough paste.

  3. Step 3

    Add the chillies and coriander and pulse in short bursts, scraping down, until finely chopped but not puréed: it should look like a coarse, wet relish with visible flecks of chilli skin.

  4. Step 4

    Stir in the lemon juice (opens in a new tab) and olive oil (opens in a new tab) by hand. Taste for salt. Spoon into a jar, smooth the top and cover with a thin film of oil; rest 30 minutes before using.

About this dish

Origin
Yemen · Commonly attributedYemeni sahawiq in its red form; brought to Israel by Yemenite Jews, where red, green and brown (with tomato) skhug are all common. Proportions follow widely published home versions.Also popular in IsraelMore food from Yemen
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Condiments, chutneys & relishes · Sauces
Cooking method
Raw, Blended
Taste
spicy (chilli heat), garlicky, aromatic / warmly spiced, fruity
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead
Cook more with
Fresh red chilli · Garlic · Coriander leaves · Ground cumin · Ground cardamom · Ground coriander
Techniques
Wet grinding · Knife skills · Emulsification

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

49 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 18 g · recipe makes 12

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 3%
  • Carbohydrate 15%
  • Fat 82%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy49 kcal268 kcal
Protein0.4 g2.2 g
Carbohydrate1.9 g10.3 g
Net carbohydrate1.6 g8.5 g
Sugars0.6 g3.2 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre0.3 g1.8 g
Fat4.7 g25.5 g
Saturated fat0.6 g3.5 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium164 mg894 mg
Salt equivalent0.4 g2.2 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
56 mg
Calcium
9 mg
Iron
0.3 mg
Magnesium
5 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
11 µg
Vitamin C
16 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
4 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Use a mix of fleshy mild red chillies (Fresno, long red) and a few hot bird's-eye chillies to control heat while keeping body.
  • Grinding whole cumin, cardamom and coriander seeds just before use makes a noticeably brighter zhug.

Common mistakes

  • Blending to a smooth purée, which turns it pink and watery.
  • Storing it at room temperature; fresh garlic in oil must be refrigerated.

Serve with

  • In pita with falafel or sabich, on shawarma, or beside hummus.
  • On eggs, grilled fish or Yemeni breads such as malawach and jachnun.

Food safety

  • Raw garlic in oil can support botulism at room temperature; keep refrigerated, use a clean spoon, and discard after 10 days.

Storage

  • Refrigerate in a clean jar under a film of oil for up to 10 days. Freeze in small portions for up to 3 months.

Variations

  • Brown zhug (skhug chum) (Israel): Red zhug blended with a grated tomato for a milder, saucier version.
  • Green zhug: The herb-heavy version with green chillies, coriander and parsley; see the separate zhug recipe.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Goes with

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

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Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3

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