Zhug

Sahawiq (Yemeni Arabic: سحوق saḥawiq) or skhug (Hebrew: Hebrew: סחוג‎ s'hug) is a Middle Eastern hot sauce originating in Yemeni cuisine. Brought to Israel by Yemenite Jews, the condiment is now a staple of Israeli cuisine.

Sahawiq is made from fresh red or green, hot-peppers seasoned with coriander, garlic, salt, black cumin (optional) and various spices, the chief constituency being cumin, black pepper, 3 or 4 cardamom pods (seeds removed and crushed) and a dash of ground cloves. Some also add caraway seed. Its color may be red or green depending on the type of peppers used in its preparation. The respective varieties are called skhug adom ("red skhug") and skhug yarok ("green skhug") in Israel, while skhug chum ("brown skhug") is skhug yarok with tomatoes. In Israel, sahawiq is also sometimes referred to by the generic term harif (Hebrew: חריף; lit. "hot/spicy"). It is a popular condiment at Israeli falafel and shawarma stands, and served with hummus.

Preparation

Traditional Yemenite cooks prepare sahawiq using two stones: a large stone used as a work surface and a smaller one for crushing the ingredients. Other alternatives are a mortar and pestle or a food processor.