The Middle East is full of amazing cuisine, and one of the reasons it tastes so good is the spices. Spice blends and sauces like amba and schug are some of the key components to making dishes with some ‘oomph’ power. These blends are easy to make, and all it takes is a bit of preparation. Here’s what you need.
Schug
Originally from Yemen, schug has filtered down into many other Middle Eastern countries, and thus, their cuisine. This is used as a hot sauce and can come in many different colors like green, red, and brown. To make your own schug, you need fresh red hot peppers, some cumin, coriander, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and a touch of parsley or cilantro.
Amba
Amba is a sauce found in most Israeli dishes, but it has Iraqi origins. It’s not a spicy sauce like schug, but instead, it tastes rather tangy and a bit sweet on account of the mangoes it’s made from.
To make amba, you will need a mango, some cumin, a dash of cayenne, fenugreek, sumac, garlic, lemon, olive oil, and a light vinegar of your choice. You will also want to add some water to thin out the mixture a bit. These sauces can be added to sandwiches, salads, meat dishes, and so much more!
