Name: Zhoug (Spicy Herb Sauce)
Yield: Makes 1¼ cups
Ingredients: 2 Hungarian wax peppers, stemmed and coarsely chopped (seeds are good) (see Cooks' Note below); 1½ cups fresh cilantro leaves (from one large bunch or two small ones); 1½ cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (from one bunch); 2 cloves peeled garlic; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1½ teaspoons sherry vinegar

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Photo by Kristin Teig

Zhoug is a spicy herb sauce of Yemenite origin that you find in Syria and Israel. It’s often the go-to condiment for falafel and is eaten with bread for those who want heat with every bite. It’s a must with Shakshuka, and you’ll probably find yourself stirring it into scrambled eggs, spreading it on a sandwich, mixing it with Greek yogurt to make a dip, or just eating it by the spoonful.

Cook's Note

We suggest using Hungarian wax peppers because they are medium-spicy and have a lot of flesh, which helps give the zhoug some body and texture. If you can’t find these peppers, use jalapeños instead.

Recipe information

Yield
Makes 1¼ cups

Ingredients

2 Hungarian wax peppers, stemmed and coarsely chopped (seeds are good) (see Cooks' Note below)

1½ cups fresh cilantro leaves (from one large bunch or two small ones)

1½ cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (from one bunch)

2 cloves peeled garlic

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1½ teaspoons sherry vinegar

Preparation

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until very smooth. You should have a bright green emulsified sauce. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Reprinted with permission from Soframiz by Ana Sortun and Maura Kilpatrick, 2016. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Buy the full book from Amazon.