The inspiration for this recipe came from a conversation I had with a Yemeni refugee on the Greek island of Lesbos who had walked almost all the way to Turkey to escape the war in his home country. This is an absolutely extraordinary feat by any standards, but even more so given he was injured from the war. We spoke about oshaar, a preserved lemon pickle, and zhoug, a spicy coriander relish, both frequently used in Yemeni food, and it was these discussions that led me to create this dish. My version of zhoug is quite mild but, if you want to up the chilli, feel free. The garlic in it is also quite intense if you eat it immediately, but the acidity mellows it out after an hour. Any leftover zhoug can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. To make this more substantial, I sometimes add a few halves of hard-boiled eggs. Serve at room temperature.
Serves 2 as a main, or 4 as part of a mezze
For the lentils
green lentils 200g
cumin seeds ½ tsp
lemon juice 2 tbsp
extra virgin olive oil 4 tbsp
preserved lemon 3 heaped tbsp, finely chopped (rinsed before chopping)
cooked beetroot 200g, cut into 2.5cm chunks
parsley leaves a large handful
For the zhoug
cumin seeds ½ tsp
green cardamom pod seeds from 1
coriander 30g, leaves and stalks
parsley 20g, leaves and stalks
green serrano chilli 1, seeds and pith removed
garlic 1 large clove
lemon juice 1 tbsp
extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp
water 2 tbsp
Rinse the lentils in cold water, then place them in a saucepan and cover with just-boiled water. Bring to the boil, then cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until they are soft but still have some bite. Depending on the age of your lentils, cooking times may vary.
To make the zhoug, toast the cumin and cardamom seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for a minute or so, until their aromas are released. Transfer to a mortar and pestle, and crush the seeds. Then place them, along with all the other zhoug ingredients, in a small food processor and blitz with ¼ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper.
To assemble the dressing for the lentils, toast the cumin seeds in a small dry frying pan as before, then crush them in a mortar and pestle. When the lentils are ready, drain them in a sieve, return them to the pan and stir through the cumin, lemon juice, olive oil, preserved lemon, salt and black pepper. It’s important to do this while the lentils are still hot, as they soak up the flavours better. Stir in the beetroot and parsley and taste to adjust the seasoning.
Place the lentils in a shallow dish and spoon a few tablespoons of zhoug over and around, serving the rest on the side.
From Ripe Figs by Yasmin Khan (Bloomsbury, £26)
