Yemenite Helbeh (dipping Sauce)

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.03

Title: Yemenite Helbeh (dipping Sauce)
Categories: Sauce
Yield: 1 servings

2 tb fenugreek seeds
1/4 c zhug (see recipe "Yemenite
-zhug")
1/2 sm lemon; juice of
1 tomato

Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 09:09:19 +0200 (EET)

From: David Barnett <davidb@techunix.technion.ac.il>

That's interesting - I have her "Jewish Holiday Kitchen" cookbook, which
also has a recipe for Zhug, but it was neither authentic nor good. The
following is the translation of a recipe given to me by a Yemenite woman,
who grows her own tiny peppers (I have no idea what variety, but they are
much hotter than seranos). One thing the Yemenites do with it is make a
"dipping sauce" (more of a spread, actually) that is eaten with bread,
called Helbeh. This is adopted from Joan Nathan's recipe:

1. Let the fenugreek seeds soak in water for several hours or overnight.

2. Pour off any remaining liquid, leaving a moist paste.

3. Using a wooden spoon, whip in, little by little, up to 1/2 cup water
into the paste. Then mix in the zhug, lemon juice (JN calls for 1
tablespoon, or to taste), and the tomato (JN says to grate it, I just mash
it up).

4. Adjust seasonings to taste. It should be very spicy. This can either
be eaten plain with bread (I would use pita), or served with a meal like a
chutney.

CHILE-HEADS DIGEST V2 #238

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