Hilbeh (Yemeni Fenugreek Dip)

About This Recipe

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.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 3 tbspwhole fenugreek seeds
• cold water for soaking (plenty)
• 2 mediumripe tomatoes, very finely grated (skins discarded)
• 3 clovesgarlic, microplaned
• 1 tbspzhug (green Yemeni hot sauce) or harissa
• 1lemon, juiced
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspfine salt
• 1 small bunchcilantro, finely chopped
• 2 tbspextra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak fenugreek

   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.

2. 2

   Drain and rinse

   Drain through a fine sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear and the seeds feel slippery but not sticky.

3. 3

   Whip

   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.

4. 4

   Build the relish

   In a bowl, stir together the grated tomato, garlic, zhug, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and cilantro.

5. 5

   Marry

   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.

6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Rest 15 minutes for flavors to bloom. Transfer to a wide bowl, swoosh with the back of a spoon, and drizzle with olive oil.

Variations

• •

  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.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container. Stir before serving; the relish may weep — pour off any liquid.

Frequently Asked Questions