February 3, 2024

Dukkah

Dukkah – spice blend

Dukkah is a traditional spice and nut mix made in Egypt.

Dukkah – a very moreish snack

Unlike other spice mixes which are just used to flavour other food, Dukkah is usually used as a snack in its own right and a very moreish snack at that.

Simply served with finger size strips of flat bread and olive oil, the bread is dunked in the oil and then into the spice mix – Delicious!

I’m told that this Egyptian snack has caught on big time in Australian bars.

Just about every Egyptian family has a different recipe for Dukkah

There are so many different recipes for Dukkah and to be honest that’s one of the beauties of it, it’s so adaptable. Some families like to add a lot of sweet spices like cinnamon and sweet paprika. Others like like theirs with a good kick and add plenty of pepper and chilli. Adding cumin gives it a warm earthiness. You can also add smoked paprika for a delicious, smoky barbeque flavour.

Try this recipe first, see what you think and then experiment with different variations and decide what’s your favourite.

Dukkah experiment with the recipe and make it your own

Ingredients

1 cup sesame seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp paprika
1 pinch chilli flakes
a good pinch of salt
1/2 cup of nuts almonds / hazelnuts / walnuts / peanuts, any or mixed you choose

In Egypt apricot kernels are traditionally used for dukkah. But the season for apricots is very short so almonds (which are very similar) can be used as a substitute. Alternatively you could use hazelnuts, walnuts, pine nuts or even peanuts.

Ok let’s make Dukkah

Start by toasting the sesame seeds very lightly in a dry frying pan(i.e. no oil) over a medium flame. Take care not toast them for too long as this makes them bitter. Tip them into a bowl.

Now toast some more

Next toast the coriander, cumin and peppercorns in the same way – just for about 30 seconds. This helps release the oils. You’ll be able to smell when this happens because the room will be filled with fantastic aromas. Put these in with the sesame seeds.

Next toast the nuts

Toast the nuts gently until they begin to brown a little.

This toasting process is an important step. After all it isn’t just taste that ignites our senses. The wonderful aromas which are released in this process act like a fanfare. exciting our senses and alerting us of the pleasure we can expect.

Grind the toasted seeds and nut for your Dukkah

Using a pestle and mortar coarsely grind the ingredients for the Dukkah. Alternatively, you could use a spice grinder which is much quicker. But I think this amalgamates the flavours rather than allowing individual flavours to shine through.