Al’s Schug (spicy) Recipe

Prepare herbs

Rinse the cilantro, parsley and dill under cold water. Shake off excess water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Trim off any large, woody stems — small tender stems are fine and add flavor.

Prep chilies and garlic

Remove stems from the green chilies and the red chili. For medium heat, halve and scrape out most seeds; for extra heat, leave seeds in. Roughly chop the chilies and peel the garlic cloves so they’ll process evenly.

Toast spices (optional but recommended)

In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the ground cumin, ground coriander and cardamom for 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly, until aromatic. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. This intensifies the spice flavors.

Pulse herbs and aromatics

In a food processor, combine the cilantro, parsley, dill, garlic and chopped chilies. Pulse 6–10 times until the herbs are coarsely chopped — you want a textured paste, not a smooth purée.

Add spices and seasonings

Add the toasted ground spices (cumin, coriander, cardamom), smoked paprika, kosher salt and black pepper to the processor. Pulse 4–6 more times to incorporate the spices evenly.

Emulsify with oil and lemon

With the processor running on low, slowly stream in the olive oil and lemon juice through the feed tube until the mixture becomes a loose, spreadable paste. If the schug seems too thick or the blades struggle, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach a consistency that will hold together but still spread easily.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Add more salt, lemon juice or a small pinch of sugar if needed to balance heat and brightness. For hotter schug, blend in an extra chopped chili or a pinch of cayenne. Transfer schug to a clean jar and press a thin layer of olive oil on top to preserve color and freshness.

Let the schug rest at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to marry. Refrigerate for up to 7–10 days (bring to room temperature before using).

Serve schug room temperature. Drizzle a little extra olive oil on top if desired and squeeze lemon over warm pita or roasted vegetables. Use as a condiment for grilled meats, shakshuka, eggs, roasted fish, sandwiches or as a spicy dip.