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

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

From Glen Hosey's Recipe Collection Program, hosey@erols.com

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