Yemeni whipped fenugreek-and-tomato relish with garlic and zhug — a fluffy, pungent condiment for flatbreads and soups.
Hilbeh is one of the most distinctive condiments in the world — a creamy, foamy whip of soaked fenugreek seeds beaten with fresh tomato, garlic, lemon, and a fierce green chili paste called zhug. The fenugreek, soaked overnight, releases a slippery mucilage that whips up like egg whites into an airy, pale-green cloud. Yemeni Jews and Muslims have served it for centuries as the inseparable companion to flame-blackened breads — saluf, lahoh, and especially malawach — and as a savage spoonful stirred into hot lamb soup on Friday nights. The flavor is unforgettable: bitter, herbal, faintly maple-like, then bright with citrus and chili. Once you have it on your table you'll find yourself adding it to everything from grilled fish to scrambled eggs.
Serves 8
Rinse the seeds, then cover with 2 cm cold water in a small bowl. Soak 8–12 hours, changing the water 2–3 times. The seeds will swell, gel, and lose most of their bitterness.
Drain through a fine sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear and the seeds feel slippery but not sticky.
Add the seeds to a blender or food processor with 3 tbsp of cold water. Blitz on high for 3–4 minutes, stopping to scrape, until you have a fluffy, pale, mousse-like foam — it should triple in volume.
In a bowl, stir together the grated tomato, garlic, zhug, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and cilantro.
Fold the tomato relish gently into the whipped fenugreek with a spatula. Do not over-mix — you want streaks and a soft cloud, not a uniform sauce.
Rest 15 minutes for flavors to bloom. Transfer to a wide bowl, swoosh with the back of a spoon, and drizzle with olive oil.
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The longer you whip the fenugreek, the airier it becomes — don't be afraid of going 4 full minutes.
Use only ripe, juicy tomatoes; under-ripe ones make the relish flat.
Adjust the zhug to your tolerance — Yemeni grandmothers add three times this amount.
Stir in a spoonful of tahini for a richer, nuttier version.
Add a pinch of dried ground hawaij spice for a more complex, Sana'a-style note.
Serve folded into hot lamb soup just before eating — traditional for Yemeni Friday dinners.
Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container. Stir before serving; the relish may weep — pour off any liquid.
Hilbeh is documented in Yemeni Jewish recipes from the 18th century and may go back much further. It traveled to Israel with Yemeni immigrants in the mid-20th century and is now found on tables from Tel Aviv to Berlin.
No — unsoaked fenugreek is intensely bitter and won't whip. The overnight soak is the whole technique.
Either you didn't change the soaking water, or you used very old seeds. Buy fresh, golden-amber seeds from a busy spice shop.
A hand whisk works but takes longer and yields a less airy foam. A small food processor or immersion blender gets you closest to the traditional whipped texture.
It's excellent spooned over grilled fish, folded into scrambled eggs, or stirred into soup — treat it like a fresh herb condiment rather than a dip you scoop with chips.
Per serving (60g / 2.1 oz) · 8 servings total
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