Best Red Zhoug Recipes

ZHOUG! (SPICY CILANTRO SAUCE)

Steps:

• Place the garlic in your food processor and process until the garlic is broken into tiny pieces.
• Add the cilantro, jalapeño (keep the seeds in case you want to make the sauce more spicy after tasting), salt, cardamom, cumin and red pepper flakes. Process until the mixture is all mixed together and very finely chopped.
• While running the food processor, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Scrape down the sides and blend until the sauce is mostly smooth.
• Adjust to taste-for a spicier sauce, add the jalapeño seeds or additional red pepper flakes (1/4 teaspoon at a time) and blend again. Too bitter? You can add more salt or give the flavors some time to mellow. This sauce's flavor transforms with time, so if it's too spicy or you just don't love it right off the bat, let it chill in the fridge and try it again in an hour.

ZHOUG CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x9-inch baking dish with olive oil.
• Measure 1/2 cup of prepared zhoug and spread over the bottom of the oiled baking dish. Place chicken thighs, cut side down, on top of the zhoug. Sprinkle fire-roasted bell peppers over chicken thighs. Using a spoon, drop remaining zhoug sauce in between the bell pepper pieces, covering as much of the chicken thighs as possible.
• Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

AUTHENTIC ZHOUG SAUCE RECIPE (ZHUG)

Steps:

• over med-low heat until fragrant. Note: If using cardamom pods- crush the pods and remove the seeds- just toast the seeds. (Video is not accurate here.) Let cool slightly.
• Place the toasted spices and all the remaining ingredients (except the oil) in a food processor and pulse until it's uniformly chopped. Add oil and lemon juice and pulse into a coarse paste. For a looser version, add a bit more oil.
• Taste for salt and heat, adding more if necessary.
• Add chili flakes if you like.
• Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to one week.

ZHOUG

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine the cilantro, parsley, olive oil, cumin, coriander, salt, cayenne, jalapeños, garlic and a few turns of pepper and blend until the mixture is the consistency of pesto, adding more olive oil if desired. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or spoon into ice cube trays, freeze and thaw as needed.

RED ZHOUG

Steps:

• Add the oil to a large sauté pan and place on the stove over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the bell peppers and chiles and fry while continuously stirring for about 10 minutes, until the peppers start to blister and darken in color. If at any time the peppers start to burn, decrease the heat slightly.
• Remove the peppers and chiles from the oil, set aside, and let cool. Add the cooled fried peppers and chiles and the paprika, turmeric, cloves, cardamom, cumin, salt, garlic, and lemon juice to a food processor and blend, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula when necessary, until the mixture is the consistency of a chunky puree, about 2minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool, then add the cilantro and stir to combine. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

ZHUG

Steps:

• In a small, dry pan, toast the peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and cardamom seeds over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until slightly toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer the seeds to a large mortar and pestle, and pulverize into a coarse powder.
• Add the garlic and chiles, and season evenly with kosher salt. Grind the mixture together until a tight paste forms, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add about 1/3 of the cilantro and parsley, and continue to pound together into a rough paste, another 4 to 5 minutes. Repeat two more times, adding the remaining cilantro and parsley in two batches, until the mixture is a slightly pulpy paste, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Drizzle in the olive oil while constantly pounding and grinding together the herb mixture until you achieve a loose, homogeneous paste. Continue to mix until it has the consistency of applesauce, about 2 minutes. Let it stand 10 minutes before serving.