Love spicy food? From the rich Yemeni kitchen – quick and easy red and green zehug

Different communities have their own unique spice blends that play a central role in their cuisine. Beyond seasoning mixes, there is an entire world of spreads and dips based on spices, herbs, oil or vinegar, salt, and garlic. The oil acts as a preservative, allowing the mixture to be stored in the pantry or refrigerator for a long time, and to be added to pots and pans once the flavors have fully infused and merged into a unified, distinctive taste.

At this time of year, one of the standout dishes from Yemeni cuisine is jachnun, which is served alongside spicy spreads that complement its flavor. In response to your requests, dear readers, I chose to present two recipes for preparing the spread known as zehug. While it can be purchased ready-made, nothing compares to preparing it in your own kitchen: It is easy, quick to make, and very tasty.

Yemeni cuisine features two types of zehug: Red and green. Unlike their North African counterparts, they are used in a limited number of dishes: Jachnun, malawach, kubaneh, pitas, and various side dishes. Red zehug is based on hot ground shatta peppers, to which spices and herbs are added. Green zehug is made from hot green peppers and fresh herbs. A small amount of water is added to these dips according to the desired level of heat.