Szug Pesto From Yemen Recipes

ZHUG, YEMENI GREEN HOT SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat a small frying pan on medium heat and dry fry the cumin for 2-3 minutes until aromatic.
• Place in a spice mill or coffee mill and ground to a powder.
• Now let's make the sauce. Place the garlic, salt and chillies in a chopper and chop until coarse.
• Chop the coriander leaves next. If your chopper isn't big enough, do this in 2 batches, then mix everything up in a bowl.
• Mix in the cumin.
• Add the olive oil, lemon juice and water and mix (either still in the chopper or with a spoon in a bowl).
• Place in a container, top with more olive oil and it should keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

BASIC PESTO SAUCE

Steps:

• Pulse pine nuts in a food processor until they're completely broken down. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula from time to time. Add olive oil and garlic and pulse until garlic is finely chopped.
• Chop basil very roughly - just run a knife through it once or twice to cut most of the leaves into halves or thirds - then add to food processor. Pulse, stopping every 15 seconds to push the leaves down with a rubber spatula, until basil is entirely worked into the oil. Pulse for another few seconds, and then stop to prevent turning the basil brown.
• Pour pesto base into a bowl and add grated cheese and salt. Stir to combine, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Leave the sauce thick to toss with cooked pasta and a little pasta cooking water. To use the pesto as a garnish for grilled or roasted meats, fish and vegetables, thin it out with 2 to 3 more tablespoons olive oil until it's the consistency of a loose paste. To store leftovers, pour a little more olive oil over the pesto to cover. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days.

CHICKEN PESTO SANDWICH

Steps:

• Combine chicken, olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl; toss to coat.
• Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until chicken begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add yellow bell pepper, onion, zucchini, and balsamic vinegar and cook until onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Stir mushrooms and 1 tablespoon basil into chicken mixture and cook until mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes. Add mozzarella cheese and pesto sauce; toss to coat. Stir in cherry tomatoes and cook until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Spoon chicken mixture into toasted buns and top each sandwich with 1/4 cup feta cheese and 1 1/2 teaspoons basil.

SZUG ('PESTO' FROM YEMEN)

Steps:

• Cut and discard the visible, leafless stems from the cilantro and parsley.
• Wash and pat dry.
• Place the cilantro and parsley in a blender with the remaining ingredients.
• Blend at low speed, stoppng often to smash down the ingredients as they combine.
• Turn up speed and blend thoroughly.
• Place in a storage container, taste and adjust salt, and top with a little oil as you would pesto.
• This lasts for a month if stored in an airtight container.