Shared by Alana Zeitchik
Shared by Alana Zeitchik
Red Schug
Yield: approx 28 servingsTime: 40 min
Red Schug
Yield: approx 28 servingsTime: 40 minFamily Journey
Sūq Al Ithnayn, YemenHar Toov Transit Camp, IsraelRamat Gan, Israel
Brooklyn, NY
Matriarch Sara Karavany cooked all her family’s meals, but her husband Abraham would always help prepare the schug, a spice paste that serves as a cornerstone in many Yemenite Jewish homes. Their granddaughter Alana likes it with everything from eggs to soups, but recommends folding it into hummus or yogurt dip.
Note: This schug is very spicy. If you want to cut the heat, mix in a grated tomato to create schug damadis.
Read about Alana's family in “The Treasured Yemenite Recipes That Skipped a Generation” and check out her recipes for lachuch and yogurt dip with schug damadis.
Ingredients
- ¼ lb dried red chili peppers, (seeds removed for less spice)
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation
Step 1
In a large bowl, cover the peppers with approximately 4 cups of warm water and allow to soak for 30 minutes. This will rehydrate the peppers and help remove some of the intense spice.
Step 2
Drain the peppers, squeezing out as much liquid as possible.
Step 3
Add all of the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until a thick paste is formed. Add more oil and water as needed.
Step 4
Store in an air-tight container for up to a month in the refrigerator.
