Z' H U G • The ancient Spice of Yemen
$ 5.95
❖ What is Z'HUG, you may be wondering?
Native to Yemen — Z'hug is the epic flavor-packed spice revolution you didn’t know you needed. It's an intense flavor enhancer as much as a flavor on their own.
Often referred to as the Yemeni parmesan, Z'hug (Yemeni Arabic: سَحاوِق — Sometimes spell it zhoug, skhug, s'chug, z'hoog, sahawiq) adds an unparalleled wonderful complexity of flavor to dinner centerpieces that will blow your mind. Adding Z'hug to a dish makes a big impact on its flavor.
In Yemen, the Middle East and North Africa, Z'hug is an essentially savory simple sauce, something like a cross between a pesto and a salsa verde, but hotter than either and with an intricate flavor profile. Z'hug’s versatility makes it more and more popular around the world, and not just in Middle Eastern restaurants and homes. It has recently become popular in the United States.
Our product is a dry recreation of the traditional sauce, featuring a meticulously crafted blend of a variety of premium authentic spices. It has many incredibly devoted fans!
❖ What Does Z'hug Taste Like?
Fragrant, intensely savory, spicy, subtle earthy notes, smokey, slightly citrus finish, with a great depth of flavor and bouquet, and enough heat to satisfy chile fans, but not so much that it overwhelms the other flavors and spices. The exotically delicious combination is sheer genius.
It's a regal spice that adds majesty to dishes, an excellent mystery blend that contributes a whole palette of flavors without dominating an end result. Everything is dialed in — the scent, the color, the texture, the flavor.
❖ How do You enjoy Z'hug? → So many ways!
- Z'hug complements almost any dish and adds an undeniable punch of flavor to salads to fish, sandwiches, soups, pastas, and pizzas.
- This spirited seasoning can also be used as a dry rub for meat, in marinades, sprinkled on veggies and beans, and to add heat to any dish that could use a little kick.
- Dollop into soup and stews just before serving or mixed through rice or quinoa for a quick shortcut to flavor.
- It is especially great in couscous or quinoa, as well as with dips such as hummus and baba ganoush.
- Add it to apple chips or dried fruit. Or sprinkle on French fries.
- Toss a couple pinches of Z'hug over a fresh salad of red quinoa, wild arugula, scallions, crumbled Feta cheese and a lime vinaigrette, for an unexpected (but delicious) touch of heat.
- We've used Z'hug as a dipping sauce for pita bread or roast potatoes, and as a bruschetta and pizza topping (with burrata and wilted greens).
- It's also fantastic stirred into a bowl of green lentils with garlic sausage or beluga lentils with grilled octopus (that last one is amazing).
- A spoonful enlivens a bowl of vegetable or bean soup; it can transform a simple pasta or grain dish.
- We haven’t tried Z'hug as pizza crust yet but I suspect that it would make a delightful breadstick (recipe likely coming soon).
- Z'hug even makes tofu taste good. Use it to marinate shrimp, make a terrific crust (with breadcrumbs or nuts) for salmon or a rack of lamb, or spoon it under the skin of a chicken or Cornish game hen before roasting.
- Try spatchcock a chicken, sprinkle it with sea salt, then sprinkle Z'hug all over. Then squeeze a lemon's worth of juice on it and bag it up. In about two hours throw it in a hot oven.
- Try scrambled eggs wrapped in a tortilla with cheese and Z'hug, topped with sour cream and black pepper.
- Use it as a garnish on top of hummus with pickled things, meat kabobs, and falafels. Zhug is the key to hummus happiness!
- Also makes a great addition to artisan burgers.
- Can be used with yogurt, sour cream or hummus as a flavorful dip for vegetables. Mixed with a little olive oil and some lemon juice makes it a zippy salad dressing.
- Brings Z'hug to the table in hot sauce form! Our Z'hug spice blend can also be used as a paste—a little bit of olive oil, water, vinegar, or wine are instrumental in achieving the right (pesto) consistency. That said, this paste would be a great option if you’re making a marinade or rub for meat, or to create a versatile topping for savory breakfast bowls with tomato, zucchini and chickpea with crumbled bacon, ...it will change your hot sauce experience. When we sample the Z'hug at shows or at the Saratoga Farmer's Market we just add olive oil (50/50 mix) until we have the consistency we want, and we use it sparingly as a garnish for Hummus, or to make a dip appetizer by using Greek yogurt, or feta cheese, or cream cheese, or sour cream.
❖ Fresh Hand Blended Ingredients
- Z'hug is carefully handcrafted on a foundation of Turkish Marash chile pepper • Coriander and Cumin seeds • roasted Garlic • Cardamom • Caraway • Lemon salt • Parsley • Tellicherry black Pepper • and Himalayan pink sea Salt.
- These spices, amazing individually, transport the taste buds entirely in this versatile spice blend.
- This wide variety of diverse spices come from millennia of global trade in the region, including with India and the Middle East. Flavor and spice meet charisma in this delightful balance captured in a bottle, that consumers are sure to love.
❖ Healthy and Natural
- A great option for following Paleo, Mediterranean or similar diets. The incredible taste of fresh Z'hug spices makes it easy to follow any healthy diet!
- Non-GMO • Gluten-free • Soy-free • MSG Free • 100% Vegan & Vegetarian • Paleo and Keto diet compliant • Preservative-free • Additives-free • Non-ETO, Non-Irradiated • No Sugar • No Fillers, free of animal bi-products • No Artificial Intelligence • No artificial colors or flavors • No Robots (we pack your order by hand) • No BS •
- It's simple → No Short-cuts — just 100% commitment to quality and authentic ingredients.
- Every batch is handcrafted with lots of attention and spice-induced watering eyes in Saratoga Springs, NY.
- We make Spice blends as if our own kids and friends eat them — because they do!!
❖ And When Your Order Arrives...
If you’re not totally happy, get in touch and we’ll fix the problem for free. If you’re still not smiling ear-to-ear, you’ll get your money back.
❖ Recipes (coming soon)
❖ Post-script:
Though it may seem like a strange time to celebrate venerable Z'hug when so many in Yemen are suffering, many from hunger, I would argue that there is no better time. For so many Yemenites, their signature Z'hug is a potent reminder of who they really are.
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Saratoga Spicery Greek Seasoning is packed fresh offering quality you can taste. All spices, herbs, and blends are Non-Irradiated, no preservatives, all-natural, no MSG, no GMO, and zero fillers ★ Small Batch Blended ★ Freshness Dated ★ Good up to 1 year after opening, but even better if used within 6 months ★ Hand crafted in U.S.A.
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