Zhoug

Makes approximately 1 cup

Ingredients 

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 

• 6 cloves garlic, skinned 

• ½ teaspoon dried chili flakes (for a spicier sauce use 1 teaspoon) 

• 4 packed cups fresh coriander leaves and young thin stems, roughly chopped 

• ½ teaspoon sea salt 

• Juice from 1 lemon 

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 

• Optional: pinch of ground cardamom 

Method 

1. Gently toast the cumin seeds in a dry frypan until they are aromatic. Place into a large mortar and pestle with the garlic and the chili flakes and give it all a good bash, breaking up the seeds well.  

2. Gradually add the chopped coriander, pounding well between each addition. Add the salt with the last lot of coriander and blend well until a paste is formed.  

3. Add the lemon juice, and while working the pestle in a circular motion drizzle the olive oil in very slowly until it has all been incorporated. You should be left with a gloriously green slightly textured emulsified sauce. 

4. Taste and adjust any seasonings if needed, keeping in mind that the flavour will change and become more amplified if you let it rest for an hour or so. 

5. If you want a bit more warmth to your zhoug add a small pinch of ground cardamom and stir it in.

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Recipe notes

If you don’t have a mortar and pestle you can use a stick blender or food processer instead. Blend all the ingredients together - except for the olive oil – until a paste is formed, then slowly pour the oil in last thing to allow the sauce to emulsify properly. You will notice the sauce is a lot thicker if made this way.