Pilpelchuma (), also spelled pilpelshuma (lit: "pepper garlic"), is a chilli-garlic paste similar to a

hot sauce Hot sauce is a type of condiment, seasoning, or salsa (sauce), salsa made from chili peppers and other ingredients. Many commercial varieties of Mass production, mass-produced hot sauce exist. History Humans have used chili peppers and other ho ...

originating from the

Libyan Jews The history of the Jews in Libya stretches back to the 3rd century BCE, when Cyrenaica was under Greek rule. The Jewish population of Libya, a part of the Sephardi- Maghrebi Jewish community, continued to populate the area continuously until mo ...

and commonly used in

Israeli cuisine Israeli cuisine primarily comprises dishes brought from the Jewish diaspora, and has more recently been defined by the development of a notable fusion cuisine characterized by the mixing of Jewish cuisine and Arab cuisine.Gold, Rozann''A Region's ...

Overview

Pilpelchuma traditionally has been the main condiment in Libyan Jewish cuisine. Pilpelchuma made its way into Israeli cuisine in the mid-20th century with the community's forced migration to Israel. Pilpelchuma has a consistency similar to

tomato paste Tomato paste is a thick paste made from tomatoes, which are cooked for several hours to reduce water content, straining out seeds and skins, and cooking the liquid again to reduce the base to a thick, rich concentrate. It is used to impart an i ...

and is available in Israel in packaged form typically in a tube or jar. Pilpelchuma is also commonly made at home. The two main ingredients of pilpelchuma are dried sweet and hot

pepper Pepper(s) may refer to: Food and spice * Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plants ** Black pepper ** Long pepper ** Kampot pepper * ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanacea ...

s that have been steamed and

garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plants in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chives, Welsh onion, and Chinese onion. Garlic is native to central and south Asia, str ...

. Other ingredients are olive oil, ground

cumin Cumin (, ; ; ''Cuminum cyminum'') is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to the Irano-Turanian Region. Its seeds – each one contained within a fruit, which is dried – are used in the cuisines of many cultures in both whole ...

and caraway seeds, lemon juice and kosher salt.

Uses and popularity

Pilpelchuma is used as a

condiment A condiment is a preparation that is added to food, typically after cooking, to enhance the Flavoring, flavour, to complement the dish or to impart a specific flavor. Such specific flavors generally add sweetness or pungency, or sharp or piquant ...

and as an ingredient in dishes such as salads, meat, fish, legumes and rice dishes. Today in Israel it is a popular condiment used in falafel sandwiches, shawarma, chicken schnitzel, sabich, and to top hummus. It is especially popular in

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

, where it is used in the local variety of

shakshuka Shakshouka is a Maghrebi dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onion, and garlic, commonly spiced with cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Shakshouka is a popular dish throughout North Africa and the Middle East. E ...

. This popularity is due to the area's large Libyan Jewish community. In recent years pilpelchuma has become popular in the West and is used as a condiment in such dishes as

potato salad Potato salad is a salad dish made from boiled potatoes, usually containing a dressing and a variety of other ingredients such as boiled eggs and raw vegetables. It is usually served as a side dish. History and varieties Potato salad is foun ...

References

{{Hot sauces Herb and spice mixtures Hot sauces Israeli condiments Jewish cuisine Libyan cuisine Mizrahi Jewish cuisine Sephardi Jewish cuisine

Overview

Uses and popularity

See also

References