Just how spicy should the z’houg be is really up to you and much you can tolerate. The original z’houg is very, very spicy.

You can keep the z’houg in a sealed container in the fridge up to a week (although most people keep it for longer.) You can also freeze in small quantities in an ice cube tray.

Yemeni green Z’houg (chili pepper and cilantro salsa)

Recipe by Vered GuttmanCourse: Dips, pickles and relishesCuisine: Jewish, Israeli, YemeniDifficulty: Easy

Yieldscup

Prep time

minutes

INGREDIENTS

5 Serrano or Jalapeno peppers
1 bunch cilantro (at least 1 cup of chopped leave)
4-6 garlic cloves, chopped
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt to taste (start with ½ teaspoon)
1 tablespoon oil (optional, recommended if you want to keep for longer)
2 tablespoon water

DIRECTIONS

Seed Serrano or Jalapeno if you’re nervous about the spiciness. Roughly chop the pepper.
Put all ingredients in a food processor and mix to a a bit-chunky paste. Add an extra tablespoon of water if the mixture resembles a chopped salsa and not a paste. Adjust salt to taste.
Keep in a sealed container in the fridge for a week or freeze for a few months.