skhug

Notes:

 	As always, you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts in place of the thighs. If you do, I suggest you pound them lightly, so each breast is an even thickness. This could be 3/4-1-inch thick (or thicker or thinner). You will likely need to grill for less time, so keep an eye on them.
 	Scale this recipe up as needed. A good rule of thumb: Use 1 teaspoon kosher salt per pound of meat. Diamond Crystal kosher salt (red box) is what I use.
 	I like toasting whole cumin and coriander seeds and grinding them in my mortar and pestle, but you can substitute ground spices in place of the whole. If you do, use less — 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of each.
 	Another nice condiment to serve here: Homemade Harissa.


Smoky Grilled Chicken with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce

cumin seeds, see notes above

coriander seeds, see notes above

smoked paprika

lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (3 to 4)

kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

garlic,

grapeseed oil

cucumbers (about 8 oz)

plain Greek yogurt, I

fresh-squeeze lemon juice (from about 1/2 a lemon)

salt

lemon wedges

skhug (recipe follow)

Place a small, dry skillet over medium heat and toast the coriander and cumin seeds until they begin to darken and smell fragrant. Transfer them to a mortar and use a pestle to grind to a powder. Add the smoked paprika and stir to combine.

Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl or in a large ziplock bag. Season all over with salt (about 1 teaspoon per pound) and pepper to taste. Rub with the minced garlic. Add the spice blend and oil and mix with your hands to evenly coat the chicken in the oil and spices. Place chicken in fridge. Marinate for at least one hour and up to 12. If possible, bring chicken to room temperature before grilling (about an hour or so beforehand.)

Meanwhile, make the cucumber-yogurt sauce

Grate the cucumber coarsely on a box grater. In a medium bowl, stir the cucumber into the yogurt, along with the garlic, and lemon. Season with the salt, starting with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, adding an additional 1/4 teaspoon if necessary.

When ready to grill: preheat a gas grill to high or prepare coals for high heat. For charcoal grilling, fill two chimney starters  with coals and let them burn for about 30 minutes. Then, dump the coals into the grill (piling them on one side to allow one half or one third of the grill to be a cooler zone), replace the grate, and let it heat for at least 5 minutes. Scrape the grates.

When grill is hot, transfer the chicken uncovered to the grates. Grill, without touching, for about 3 minutes. Flip. And grill for another 2 to 3 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165ºF (or a little bit less to account for carryover cooking). Transfer meat to a platter or cutting board to rest for at least 10 minutes.

While the chicken rests, warm the pita or naan — you can do this right on the grill or in the toaster. Gather all of the remaining condiments: cucumber-yogurt sauce, skhug (if making), and lemon wedges. Cut chicken into smallish (1- to 2-inch) pieces.

To serve: I liked to smear the cucumber-yogurt sauce on a platter, pile the chicken on top, and drizzle some of the skhug over as well. But you could also serve each component separately, letting the eaters assemble as they wish. I like serving the bread on the side and using it as a vehicle to scoop or to make mini sandwiches, but you could also make larger pita-pocket sandwiches.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGo_ZI0M9jg

Schug (pronounced skoog, sometimes spelled zhug) is a spiced green sauce originating from Yemen but used throughout the Middle East. It's a blend of herbs, chilies, and toasted spices. It's a delicious condiment for all sorts of things: grilled meats, roasted vegetables, falafel ... I could eat it with anything.

Find the full recipe here: https://alexandracooks.com/2020/06/16/schug-zhug-sauce/

How to Make Schug (Zhug)

What is Zhoug? It's a vibrant, delicious, super versatile sauce made from fresh herbs, garlic, chiles and oil. It takes the ho-hum out of everyday meals!

Zhoug (aka Zhug, Shug or Skhug)

olive oil

garlic (finely chopped)

coriander

cumin

½ teaspoon cardamon (optional)

red pepper

cilantro

curly or flat-leaf parsley (just the leaves)

jalapeños

lemon juice

red wine vinegar

salt (more

Heat the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, coriander, pcumin, cardamom and crushed red pepper. The oil should sizzle slightly but not splatter out of the pan. Cook for 1 minute or until nice and fragrant, stirring frequently then remove from heat and allow to cool.

In the container of a food processor or blender, combine the cilantro, parsley, jalapeños, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and salt. Process until mixture is fairly smooth but still has a bit of texture.

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