Ingredients
Nuts and seeds
- 150 ghazelnuts
- 100 gsesame seeds
Spices
- 3 tbspcoriander seeds
- 2 tbspcumin seeds
- 1 tbspfennel seeds
- 1 tspblack peppercorns
- 2 tspsalt
- 1 tspdried mint, optional
To serve
- good bread
- extra virgin olive oil
Directions
- Toast every element separately, because they are different sizes and densities and they burn at quite different rates.
- Toast the hazelnuts in the oven at 180°C (355°F) for 10 minutes, then rub the skins off in a clean cloth.
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 to 3 minutes until golden, shaking the pan constantly.
- Toast the coriander, cumin and fennel seeds for a minute or two each, until they smell fragrant.
- Cool everything completely before grinding. Warm nuts release their oil and the whole mixture turns into a paste.
- Pound the spices and peppercorns in a mortar first, then the sesame, then the hazelnuts last and only roughly.
- Keep it coarse and dry. The name means to pound, and dukkah is a crumbly mixture that clings to wet bread rather than a nut butter.
- Mix in the salt and the dried mint if you are using it.
- Serve in a bowl beside a saucer of good olive oil, with bread torn alongside.
- Dip the bread first into the oil and then into the dukkah, which is what makes the mixture stick and is exactly how it is eaten in the street.
- It keeps a month in a sealed jar, though the nuts stale eventually, so make it in small batches.
Technique
- Every family has its own proportions, and hazelnut, chickpea and pistachio versions are all common.
- Grind it by hand if you can. A processor turns it to paste in about four seconds.
- It is sold in paper cones on Egyptian streets, eaten with bread and oil on the spot.
Substitutions
- Roasted chickpeas in place of some of the nuts, which is the older and cheaper version.
- Almonds or pistachios instead of hazelnuts.
Variations
- Sprinkled over roasted vegetables or labneh.
- As a crust for lamb or fish.
- With more chilli, which is not traditional and is very good.
History
The name means to pound; sold in paper cones on the street, it is eaten by dipping bread first in oil and then in the mix.
Frequently asked questions
What is Dukkah?
Dukkah is a sauce & condiment from Egypt: crushed nuts, sesame, coriander and cumin for dipping bread with oil. The name means to pound; sold in paper cones on the street, it is eaten by dipping bread first in oil and then in the mix.
How long does Dukkah take to make?
Dukkah takes 20 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes 1 jar, about 350 g. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Dukkah?
Yes, within limits. Roasted chickpeas in place of some of the nuts, which is the older and cheaper version. Almonds or pistachios instead of hazelnuts.
What is the most important thing to get right in Dukkah?
Cool everything completely before grinding. Warm nuts release their oil and the whole mixture turns into a paste.
