Yemen's fiery green herb sauce against charred lamb — one blitzed condiment does all the heavy lifting

Zhoug is the Yemeni green chilli sauce that has quietly taken over grill houses everywhere, and once you've made it you'll understand why. Coriander, parsley, green chilli, garlic and warm spice blitzed into a rough, electric-green paste — sharp, hot and fragrant all at once. Spoon it over lamb chump chops charred on a screaming-hot grill pan, tear open warm flatbreads, and the value chop from the share tastes like the best thing off a Middle Eastern grill. Make the zhoug ahead and the rest is fifteen minutes of cooking. Big flavour, small effort.

35 mins 4 servings Prep 20 minsCook 15 minsMain CourseMiddle Eastern

Ingredients

  • 4 Your Farmer grass-fed lamb chump chops
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (for the chops)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin (for the chops)
  • Salt and pepper to season
  • 4 flatbreads, to serve
  • 1 large bunch coriander, leaves and soft stems (for the zhoug)
  • 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked (for the zhoug)
  • 2 green chillies, roughly chopped (for the zhoug)
  • 2 cloves garlic (for the zhoug)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin (for the zhoug)
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom (for the zhoug)
  • 80ml olive oil (for the zhoug)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice (for the zhoug)
  • 1/2 tsp salt (for the zhoug)

Instructions

For the zhoug

Blitz the coriander, parsley, chillies, garlic, cumin, cardamom and salt in a food processor to a coarse paste, scraping down the sides once or twice.

1 bunch coriander2 green chillies2 cloves garlic

With the motor running, pour in the oil, then stir in the lemon juice. You want a loose, spoonable sauce, not a smooth purée — add a splash more oil if it's stiff. Taste and adjust salt and lemon.

80ml olive oil1 tbsp lemon juice

For the chops

Pat the chops very dry, rub with the oil and cumin, and season well. Heat a grill pan (or heavy frying pan) over high heat until smoking.

4 chump chops1 tbsp olive oil1 tsp ground cumin

Stand the chops on their fat edge for 2 minutes to render, then grill 4–5 minutes per side for medium, pressing them onto the ridges for good char marks.

Rest the chops on a warm plate for 5 minutes, loosely covered. Warm the flatbreads in the hot pan for 30 seconds a side while the chops rest.

4 flatbreads

Spoon zhoug generously over the chops and serve with the warm flatbreads and the rest of the sauce alongside for dipping.

Appears in

Lamb Share B only — Chump Chops (4 pack)

Your Farmer CSA grass-fed lamb share — Pack B selection of pasture-raised lamb cuts, vacuum-sealed, NSW & ACT delivery
CSA Pastured Lamb Share
From $183.33

Why Char and Chilli Suit This Cut

The chump is the meaty seam between loin and leg, thick and nearly boneless with a proper fat edge — and that fat is exactly what a fierce sauce like zhoug is built to cut through. A grill pan gets hotter and drier than a barbecue can indoors, so you get deep char marks and rendered fat without the chop drying out, provided you rest it properly afterwards. Zhoug (you'll also see it as skhug) is Yemen's answer to salsa verde — herbs, green chilli and warm spice loosened with oil into something sharp and alive. Spooned over hot lamb, its acidity and heat do the work a marinade usually would, but in a fraction of the time. Your Farmer® chump chops come four to a pack in Share B of our pastured lamb share — the everyday cut this recipe dresses up for company.

Swaps and Variations

Zhoug's heat is yours to set: leave the chilli seeds in for a proper kick, or scrape them out for something milder the kids will still eat. A pinch of ground coriander seed deepens the spice, and some cooks add a few tablespoons of water for a thinner, drizzle-able sauce. Serve alongside a bowl of thick yoghurt to cool things down, plus quick-pickled onions if you have five minutes. Loin chops grill just as well here — shave a minute off each side, as they're smaller. The zhoug itself is far too good to keep for one dinner: it lifts eggs, roast vegetables and grilled fish just as happily.

Storage and Leftovers

Zhoug keeps a week in the fridge under a thin film of oil, and freezes brilliantly in an ice-cube tray for single-serve hits of green heat — a genuinely useful thing to have on hand. Cooked chops keep 3 days; slice them cold into a flatbread wrap the next day with fresh zhoug and salad for a lunch that beats most takeaways. Raw chops freeze for 6 months wrapped tight. If the four-pack goes quickly, a standalone chump chop four-pack keeps this within reach between lamb boxes.

Frequently asked questions

What is zhoug, and can I buy it instead of making it?

Zhoug (also spelled skhug) is a Yemeni green chilli and herb sauce. Some delis and larger supermarkets stock it, but the homemade version is fresher, greener and lets you control the heat — and it takes five minutes in a food processor.

How do I make the zhoug less spicy?

Scrape the seeds and white membrane out of the chillies before blitzing, or use one milder long green chilli instead of two hot ones. You can also stir a spoon of yoghurt through your portion at the table.

I don't have a grill pan — will a normal frying pan work?

Yes — a heavy frying pan gives you the same crust, just without the char lines. Get it properly smoking-hot first, and render the fat edge before the flat sides so the chops don't stew.

Can I cook the chops on the barbecue instead?

Absolutely — a hot barbecue is ideal. Grill them 4–5 minutes per side over direct heat for medium, rest them, then spoon the zhoug over just before serving so it stays vivid.

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