My Easy Dukkah

The origins of dukkah can be found in Egypt – a nut, herb, and spice blend that is traditionally used as a dip for bread or fresh vegetables. Although there are many different versions I kept mine fairly simple with hazelnuts, sesame seeds, coriander, cumin and flaked sea salt.

I almost always have some sort of toasted seed and nut thing going in my fridge. We have established by now that I am a ‘topping person’,  I love texture on top of soups and salads. Dukkah is perfect sprinkled on salads, soups, smashed avo or hummus and toast, the sprinkling options are endless!

Making your own dukkah is so easy and this recipe is super flexible, chances are you could be making this right now without having to run to the shops! You can use a mortar & pestle or the small bowl of your food processor.

Make double and keep the rest in a sealed container in the fridge for about a month.

Oooh where do I start!

• salads
• avo and toast (oh yes!)
• ‘breaking bread’ serve as a dip with some olive oil in one bowl and dukkah in another (like the fancy restaurants)
• roasted veggies
• with my courgette fritters!

Food Processor or Pestle & Mortar

• 50g hazelnuts (almonds works well too)
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon flaked sea salt (Maldon is good) or more to taste

1. Preheat your oven to 180c, toast the hazelnuts until golden, about 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can toast your nuts in a dry frying pan until they start to take on some colour, set aside.
2. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan until lightly coloured, set aside to cool.
3. Continue to toast the coriander and cumin seeds until fragrant (3min) adding the seeds to the cooled sesame seeds.
4. Pulse the hazelnuts in a food processor until roughly chopped, aiming for a rough crumb not a fine crumb.
5. Add the toasted ingredients, salt and pepper and quickly blend again until the mixture resembles course breadcrumbs.
6. Sprinkle the salt tasting until you like the saltiness.

Store the dukkah in the fridge where it will happily sit for a good few weeks. The classic way to serve dukkah is with pitas or good bread, first dipped into a good olive oil and then into the dukkah. Don’t over salt the dukkah, you might love salt (like me) but your friends might not. Sprinkle over soups or salads for a moroccan’y’ twist to most things.

I urge you to use Maldon Flaked Sea Salt here – see why – link to INGREDIENTS 101

Image food 52