Sahawiq

{{Infobox prepared food

| name = Sahawiq

| image = File:Zkhoug vert.jpg

| image_size = 250px

| caption = Green sahawiq

| alternate_name = Harif, mabooj, zhug, sahowqa, schugg, skhug, bisbaas

| country = Yemen

| region =

| national_cuisine =

| creator =

| course =

| type = Condiment

| served =

| main_ingredient = Hot peppers, garlic, coriander

| variations = Red sahawiq, green sahawiq, brown sahawiq

| calories =

| other =

}}

Sahawiq (Yemeni Arabic: {{lang|ar|سَحاوِق}}, IPA: [saħaːwiq]{{Cite news |last=Hamilton |first=Gabrielle |date=2019-10-16 |title=This Knockout Spicy Sauce From Yemen Will Improve Almost Any Dish |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/16/magazine/zhug-yemeni-sauce-recipe.html |access-date=2023-08-15 |issn=0362-4331}}), is a hot sauce originating in Yemeni cuisine. In other countries of the Arabian Peninsula it is also called mabooj ({{langx|ar|معبوج|}}), and bisbaas.{{cite web |last1=الكندري |first1=وفاء |date=9 March 2014 |title=المعبوج الاخضر |url=https://www.fatafeat.com/recipe/3121/المعبوج-الاخضر |website=fatafeat}} In Israel, it is commonly known as zhoug or zhug (from Judeo-Yemenite Arabic {{lang|ar|سحوق}} or {{lang|he|זחוק}} IPA: [zħuːq] through {{langx|he|סְחוּג|skhug}}),{{Cite web |title=זחוק |url=https://www.yadmeir.co.il/?CategoryID=680&ArticleID=4002 |access-date=2023-08-15 |website=www.yadmeir.co.il}}

Etymology and pronunciation

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.

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

Varieties

Varieties in Yemen include {{lang|ayn-Latn|sahawiq akhdar}} (green sahawiq), {{lang|ayn-Latn|sahawiq ahmar}} (red sahawiq), and {{lang|ayn-Latn|sahawiq bel-jiben}} (sahawiq with cheese, usually Yemeni cheese).[https://cookpad.com/sa/search/%D8%B3%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%82 Various Yemeni Sahawiq varieties] Sahawiq is one of the main ingredients of saltah.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/fullassaultmode0000fury|url-access=registration|title=Full Assault Mode: A Delta Force Novel|last=Fury|first=Dalton|date=2014-05-13|publisher=St. Martin's Publishing Group|page=[https://archive.org/details/fullassaultmode0000fury/page/176 176]|isbn=978-1-4668-3585-6|language=en}} Wazif (traditional Yemeni dried baby sardines) is sometimes added to the sahawiq's ingredients and it is known as sahawiq wazif ({{langx|ar|سحاوق وزف|link=no}}).{{Cite web|url=https://yemen-food.com/طريقة-عمل-سحاوق-الوزف|title=طريقة عمل سحاوق الوزف|date=2018-04-07|website=اكلات يمنية|language=ar|access-date=2019-12-31}}

In Israel, one can find {{lang|he-Latn|skhug adom}} ("red zhug"), {{lang|he-Latn|skhug yarok}} ("green zhug") and {{lang|he-Latn|skhug khum}} ("brown zhug"), which has added tomatoes.{{cn|date=September 2015}} Red zhug is made with red peppers while green zhug is made with green peppers, or jalapeños.{{Cite web|title=How to make schug, a Mediterranean hot sauce|url=https://www.fromthegrapevine.com/israeli-kitchen/recipes/how-make-schug-mediterranean-hot-sauce|access-date=2020-10-21|website=From the Grapevine|language=en}} Zhug may be referred to by the generic term {{lang|he-Latn|harif}} ({{langx|he|חריף|link=no}}; lit. "hot/spicy"). Also known as zhoug,{{cite news |last1=Ferguson |first1=Gillian |title=What's up with all the zhoug at restaurants around town |url=http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-fo-zhoug-recipes-restaurants-20170905-story.html|access-date=23 April 2018 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=4 October 2017 }}{{cite news |title=Where to get Auckland's best globally-influenced breakfasts |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11934325 |access-date=23 April 2018 |work=New Zealand Herald |date=21 October 2017 }}{{cite book |last1=Ottolenghi |first1=Yotam |author1-link=Yotam Ottolenghi |last2=Tamimi |first2=Sami |title=Jerusalem: A Cookbook |date=2012 |publisher=Potter/TenSpeed/Harmony |isbn=9781607743958 |page=301 }} it is a popular condiment at Israeli falafel and shawarma stands, and served with hummus.[http://humus101.com/EN/2011/01/22/red-skhug-a-recipe-and-a-story/ Red Skhug: A recipe and a story]

Preparation

Sahawiq is made from fresh red or green hot peppers (like bird's eye chillies or, less traditionally, jalapeños{{Cite web |date=2022-09-16 |title=Spicy Skhug Sauce (Zhug, Shug or Zhoug) |url=https://jamilghar.com/skhug/ |access-date=2023-01-24 |language=en-US}}) seasoned with coriander, garlic, salt, black cumin (optional) and parsley, and then mixed with olive oil.{{cite news|last1=Goldstein|first1=Nili|title=PASSOVER: Yemenite Flavor at the Seder|url=https://jewishjournal.com/cover_story/12928/|access-date=23 April 2018|agency=Jewish Journal|publisher=Tribe Media|date=6 Apr 2006}}{{cite news|last1=Kremezi|first1=Aglaia|title=Recipe: Zhug (Yemeni Hot Sauce)|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2010/06/recipe-zhug-yemeni-hot-sauce/58454/|access-date=23 April 2018|publisher=The Atlantic|date=21 Jun 2010}}Grayson, Michele. "Spicy Starters: Balanced Heat in Appetizers Rouses Palates, Titillates Taste Buds and Enhances the Dining Experience, especially when Paired with the Right Beverages." Jobson's Cheers, vol. 18, no. 4, 2007, pp. 48. Some also add lemon juice, caraway seed, cardamom, and black pepper.

Traditional Yemeni cooks prepare sahawiq using two stones: a large stone called {{lang|ar-Latn|marha'}} ({{lang|ar|مرهى}}) used as a work surface and a smaller one called {{lang|ar-Latn|wdi}} ({{lang|ar|ودي}}) for crushing the ingredients. Alternative options are a mortar and pestle or a food processor.{{Cite web |url=http://www.jannagur.com/108704/Zhug |title=Janna Gur brings you the taste of Israel: Zhug |access-date=19 March 2012 |archive-date=16 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216040417/http://www.jannagur.com/108704/Zhug |url-status=dead }} Yemenis sometimes add Pulicaria jaubertii.{{Cite web|url=https://www.albayan.ae/supplements/ramadan/real-story/2012-07-31-1.1699102 |script-title=ar:"السحاوق" . . طبق يمني يشتهيه الفقراء والأغنياء - البيان |website=www.albayan.ae |date=30 July 2012 |language=ar |access-date=2020-03-01 }}

File:Red, Green and Smoked Skhug.jpg|Red, green, and smoked zhug

File:Zhug, Skhug.jpg|Skhug and its ingredients

File:Jachnun, grated tomato, skhug and a boiled egg.jpg|Jachnun served alongside boiled eggs, grated tomatoes, and zhug