Schug Recipe

Looking for a new hot sauce to spice things up? This one contains precisely 20 whole serrano chiles—ribs, seeds and all. If you are a lover of heat, this will soon become your go-to condiment. Step aside, chimichurri; there's a new sauce in town.

Early origins of schug can be traced back to Yemen, but it's used in many parts of the Middle East today. And it's easy to see why. The fresh green chiles offer a bright and crisp heat that's nicely offset with garlic, herbaceous notes from the parsley and cilantro, and a puckered finish, thanks to freshly squeezed lemon juice. Chef Michael Solomonov adds ground coriander and cardamom to this particular version, but he encourages experimenting with different spice combinations, such as fenugreek and cumin. Solomonov does warn, however, to be careful not to overprocess the mixture. It should be streaky and broken, not smooth and emulsified.

To learn more, read "Pour Some Schug on Me."

Recipe adapted from Michael Solomonov.

Schug Recipe
4.9 from 71 ratings
Fresh serrano chiles, cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, and aromatic spices like cardamom and coriander come together to make this super-tasty condiment.
Prep Time
15
minutes
Cook Time
0
minutes
Servings
2
Cups
Schug on chicken skewers
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 cup parsley
  • 1 cup cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 20 serrano chiles, stems removed
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
Directions
  1. In the base of a food processor, combine all of the ingredients, except the oil. Pulse until a coarse paste forms.
  2. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the oil.
  3. Use immediately or store the schug in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
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