Dukkah: Savory Egyptian Condiment
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Have you ever heard of dukkah?
It’s an Middle Eastern spice mix that is usually considered Egyptian, where they sell it in these cute little paper cones at the spice markets in Cairo. It’s basically a mix of herbs, nuts (usually hazelnuts), and spices all ground up together.
The Manners & customs of the modern Egyptians
Edward William Lane · 1908
The cool thing about dukkah is how versatile it is. I love using it as a dip for bread or fresh veggies when I’m having friends over for drinks. It’s such a crowd-pleaser! The simplest version I’ve tried is just crushed mint, salt, and pepper, but there are so many variations out there.
I absolutely love dukkah–it makes a piece if bread or a simple salad a delicious meal. And it’s comforting to know it contributes to an anti-inflammatory was of eating.
Did you know the word “dukkah” actually comes from Arabic and means “to pound”? That’s because they dry roast all the ingredients and then pound them together until it’s kind of chunky – not quite a powder, but not a paste either.
What I find fascinating is that every family and vendor seems to have their own secret recipe. But you’ll usually find stuff like sesame seeds, coriander, cumin, salt, and black pepper in there.
I’ve got to say, discovering dukkah has really upped my snack game. Have you ever tried it? If not, you’re seriously missing out!
Reference to a 19th-century text lists marjoram, mint, zaatar and chickpeas as further ingredients that can be used in the mixture. The dukkah is “eaten by each mouthful of bread being dipped in the spice mixture” (Lane, 1908). A report from (Landry, 1978) indicates that even further ingredients can be used, such as nigella [black seed], millet flour and dried cheese. Some modern variants include pine nuts (Zizka, 2016), pumpkin seeds (Shulman, Retrieved 3 July 2016) or sunflower seeds (Ottolenghi, 2011).
My favorite prepared Dukkah blend ~ enjoy!
TIP:
This dish is a perfect example of a cooking technique being the “make or break” feature of a recipe. The secret to the great flavor is toasting each seed, nut or spice in a pan before cooling, and then combining to grind into the condiment. The heat of the pan releases the aromatics and volatile oils that each ingredient imparts to the whole.
Depending upon which nuts or seeds or beans you use, the flavor profile will change. So experiment and enjoy!
Dukkah
Ingredients
- ½ cup hazelnuts
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- 2 tblsp coriander seeds
- 2 tblsp cumin seeds
- 1 teas fennel seeds
- 1 teas black peppercorns
- 1 teas dried thyme
- 1 teas salt
Instructions
- Toast the hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove from heat and let cool. Rub off as much of the skins as possible.
- In the same skillet, toast the sesame seeds until golden. Set aside to cool.
- Toast the coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds until fragrant. Allow to cool.
- In a food processor or mortar and pestle, coarsely grind the cooled hazelnuts.
- Add the toasted sesame seeds, coriander, cumin, fennel, black peppercorns, dried thyme, and salt. Pulse or grind until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Be careful not to over-process, as you want to maintain some texture.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.
