Recipes/Green Hilbe

This is more traditional Hilbe, which my family likes:

• 1 heaping tablespoon Hilbe (fenugreek) seeds
• 1 tablespoon Hawwayij
• 1 green hot pepper
• 2 tsp hot red pepper flakes
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 0.5 tsp salt

The night before, put the Hilbe in a covered glass container, add lots of water and let it sit overnight. In then morning, drain the water and cover the Hilbe with boiling water and let it steep several more hours. Drain the liquid and rinse and drain the Hilbe again.

Put everything in a food processor and grind together around ten minutes, adding water slowly (start with 1/2 cup and add as the mixture thickens. As you grind it longer it will become thicker. When done it should be a slightly loose, frothy consistency.

Note that the Hilbe will continue to thicken as it sits. You will want to make it a bit looser than you desire, and also you will want to make it several hours before you use it so it has a chance to "settle".

See also Red Hilbe