| Sahawiq | |
| Alternate Name: | Harif, mabooj, zhug, sahowqa, schugg, skhug |
| Country: | Yemen |
| Type: | Condiment |
| Main Ingredient: | Hot peppers, garlic, coriander |
| Variations: | Red sahawiq, green sahawiq, brown sahawiq |
Sahawiq (Yemeni Arabic: Arabic: سَحاوِق, IPA: [saħaːwiq][1]) zhoug or zhug (from Judeo-Yemenite Arabic Arabic: سحوق or Hebrew: זחוק IPA: [zħuːq] through Hebrew: סְחוּג|sχug, sħug)[2], is a hot sauce originating in Yemeni cuisine. In other countries of the Arabian Peninsula it is also called mabooj (Arabic: معبوج|).[3]
The word sahawiq [saħaːwiq] comes from the Arabic root (s-ḥ-q) which means to pestle or to crush. Formally, it is a plural form.
The Hebrew word is pronounced pronounced as / [sχug]/, and not pronounced as / [ʒug]/ as the English spelling zhug might suggest.
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.[5] Wazif (traditional Yemeni dried baby sardines) is sometimes added to the sahawiqs ingredients and it is known as sahawiq wazif (Arabic: سحاوق وزف|link=no).[6]
In Israel, one can find Hebrew: skhug adom ("red zhug"), Hebrew: skhug yarok ("green zhug") and Hebrew: skhug khum ("brown zhug"), which has added tomatoes. Red zhug is made with red peppers while green zhug is made with green peppers, or jalapeños.[7] Zhug may be referred to by the generic term Hebrew: harif (Hebrew: חריף|link=no; lit. "hot/spicy"). Also known as zhoug,[8] [9] [10] it is a popular condiment at Israeli falafel and shawarma stands, and served with hummus.[11]
Sahawiq is made from fresh red or green hot peppers (like bird's eye chillies or, less traditionally, jalapeños[12]) seasoned with coriander, garlic, salt, black cumin (optional) and parsley, and then mixed with olive oil.[13] [14] [15] Some also add lemon juice, caraway seed, cardamom, and black pepper.
Traditional Yemeni cooks prepare sahawiq 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.[16] Yemenis sometimes add Pulicaria jaubertii.[17]