Zhug

The Hebrew word is pronounced [sχug], and not [ʒug] as the English spelling zhug might suggest.

The word sahawiq [saħaːwiq] comes from the Arabic root (s-ḥ-q) which means to pestle or to crush. This makes it a semantically equivalent to pesto. Formally, it is a plural form.

Varieties in Yemen include sahawiq akhdar (green sahawiq), sahawiq ahmar (red sahawiq), and sahawiq bel-jiben (sahawiq with cheese, usually Yemeni cheese).^[4] Sahawiq is one of the main ingredients of saltah. Wazif (traditional Yemeni dried baby sardines) is sometimes added to the sahawiq's ingredients and it is known as sahawiq wazif (Arabic: سحاوق وزف).^[5]

In Israel, one can find skhug adom ("red zhug"), skhug yarok ("green zhug") and skhug khum ("brown zhug"), which has added tomatoes.^{[citation needed]} Red zhug is made with red peppers while green zhug is made with green peppers, or jalapeños.^[6]

Zhug may be referred to by the generic term harif (Hebrew: חריף; lit. "hot/spicy"). Also known as zhoug,^[7][8][9] it is a popular condiment at Israeli falafel and shawarma stands, and served with hummus.^[10]

Zhug is made from fresh red or green hot peppers (like bird's eye chilies or, less traditionally, jalapeños^[11]) seasoned with coriander, garlic, salt, black cumin (optional) and parsley, and then mixed with olive oil.^[12][13][14] Some also add lemon juice,^[11] caraway seed, cardamom, and black pepper.

Traditional Yemeni cooks prepare zhug using two stones: a large stone called marha' (مرهى) used as a work surface and a smaller one called wdi (ودي) for crushing the ingredients. Alternative options are a mortar and pestle or a food processor.^[15] Yemenis sometimes add Pulicaria jaubertii.^[16]

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  Red, green, and smoked zhug
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  Zhug and its ingredients
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  Jachnun served alongside boiled eggs, grated tomatoes, and zhug