How to make Dukkah? (Made with Basic Ingredients)

• Food: Dukkah
• Writer: Nicolas Wilson
• Content-Type: Food Blog

Have you ever tried dukkah? Freshly produced dukkah, an Egyptian nut, seed, and spice blend, is simple to fall in love with.

Dukkah adds flavor to the most basic appetizer—bread and olive oil—as well as a variety of other dishes.

I’m sure you already have everything you need to create dukkah (sometimes written Fuqua) in your pantry. Nuts, sesame seeds, coriander, and cumin are among the basic constituents of dukkah.

Most recipes call for whole coriander and cumin, but I made a simpler version by using ground spices.

A few years ago, when it seemed to appear on every page of Bon Appétit, dukkah became fairly famous in American cooking journals and supermarket shops.

I bought the Trader Joe’s blend to try instead because the ingredients sounded a little too fussy back then.

Because the store-bought dukkah tasted stale, I relegated it to the back of my pantry and ignored the dukkah craze entirely.

Thankfully, my Valentine gifted me a Lebanese cookbook for Valentine’s Day in February, and I decided to try their dukkah recipe.

I’m pleased I did since dukkah made from scratch is delicious. It’s my new favorite seasoning, and it gives everything it touches a delightfully nutty, gently spicy flavor.

Do you want to know how to manufacture it?

Ingredients in Dukkah

When it comes to the amounts of ingredients and nuts used in dukkah recipes, there are a lot of variations. Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:

• Walnuts
• Almonds are a healthy snack (hazelnuts are more commonly used)
• Seeds of sesame
• Coriander
• Cumin
• Salt
• Black pepper, freshly ground

In dukkah dishes, sesame seeds and spices are essential. The spices are usually toasted whole. Instead, I went with ground spices because they’re more popular in American kitchens.

Tip: If you wish to use ground spices instead of whole spices, use one-third of the amount called for in the recipe. The same can be said for fresh vs. dried herbs (one tablespoon of fresh parsley is the flavor equivalent of 1 teaspoon of dried parsley).

How to Make It?

Freshly toasting your ingredients is the key to perfect dukkah. As a result, you should begin with raw nuts and seeds. Here’s how to prepare this dukkah dish that’s both simple and accessible:

1. In a skillet, toast the entire nuts (walnuts and almonds) until they begin to smell aromatic.
2. Toss in the sesame seeds, allowing them to roast as well. They’re so little that mixing them in with the larger nuts could cause them to burn.
3. Transfer the nuts and seeds to a food processor after removing them from the heat.
4. Process the mixture with the spices until the nuts are broken down to the consistency of coarse sand. If you leave it too long, you can wind up with hot nut butter (actually, that sounds pretty good, too).

That’s it! From start to finish, this simple dish will take you around 10 minutes.

Dukkah can be used in a variety of ways.

Here are a few creative uses:

• Serve it with crusty bread and nice olive oil. (I use California Olive Ranch and Trader Joe’s Kalamata-type olive oils.)
• It’s great on roasted vegetables or sliced raw vegetables.
• To add crunch to your hummus, sprinkle it with dukkah.

• Instead of croutons, top simple green salads with dukkah (here’s my favorite vinaigrette recipe).

Dukkah

This dukkah dish is incredibly simple to prepare. Dukkah is an Egyptian nut and spice blend that can be used over bread dipped in olive oil, veggies, hummus, and other dishes. 1 scant cup is yielded from this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup walnuts
• ⅓ cup almonds or hazelnuts
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• About 20 twists of freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine the walnuts and almonds in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes, or until the nuts begin to smell fragrant.
2. Add the sesame seeds to the skillet and continue to heat, frequently stirring, until they are gently brown on the edges. Remove the nut and seed mixture from the heat and place it in a food processor.
3. Combine the coriander, cumin, allspice, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Run the food processor for about 10 seconds, or until the nuts are broken down into a gritty, sand-like texture (be careful not to overdo it!).
4. Serve the dukkah immediately or preserve it in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

NOTES

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO USE WHOLE SPICES: Substitute 1 tablespoon of whole coriander and cumin for the sesame seeds and add them to the skillet with the sesame seeds.

MAKE IT NUT-FREE: This is a stretch, but raw sunflower seeds and pepitas might be used in place of the nuts. Use a third of a cup for each person.