You can call it a coincidence or just a small world, my mum actually made shatta without even knowing. She is from Indonesia and sambal hijau is sorta her favorite condiment. The problem is, she was a career woman and she hardly have the time to cook. So, somehow she discovered a way to replicate sambal hijau without cooking.
I didn't know about shatta existed until I fell in love with middle eastern cuisine. Small world right? There is even a red version of shatta in which red chilies are used instead of green chilies. This is somewhat like a very spicy pesto but without the cheese.
Earthy, flavorful and of cos spicy. You can tone down the spice level by deseeding the chilies or using milder green chilies. And if you want it spicy, you can always use jalapeños. It is really up to your own palate. The magical thing about this chili sauce is you can actually store it for up to 6 months!
Ingredients:
(Make 1 cup)
Garlic, 5 Cloves
Sea Salt, Pinch
Black Pepper, Pinch
Cumin Ground, 1/2 TSP
Any Green Chilies (I'm using shishito peppers), 100g
Fresh Lemon Zest, 1/2 Lemon
Fresh Lemon Juice, 1/2 Lemon
Parsley, 10g
Any Nuts (I'm using pecans), 15g
Demerara Sugar, 1 TBSP
High Quality Olive Oil, 38g
Mushroom Powder, Pinch
Black Seeds Preferably Hexa, Pinch
Sumac Preferably Hexa, Pinch
Equipment:
Food Processor
Directions:
Blitz garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, green chilies, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, nuts and sugar in a food processor until it comes together into a coarse paste.
Transfer into a bowl and fold in olive oil until well combined.
Taste and adjust for seasonings with salt, sugar or pepper.
Add in mushroom powder, black seeds and sumac.
Give it a final mix and store it in a sterilized jar.
It can store very well chilled in the fridge for up to 6 months as the olive will solidify the shatta. Thaw at room temperature before using.
You can use shatta as a condiment for your sandwiches, hummus, soups, etc.
I prefer having my shatta with some yogurt in a pita...