Dukkah Spice Blend
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Hazelnuts (or a mix of hazelnuts and almonds) — 1/2 cup
- Sesame seed — 1/4 cup
- Coriander seed — 2 tbsp
- Cumin seed — 2 tbsp
- Salt and black pepper — to taste
Method
- Toast the nuts, sesame seed, and whole spices separately, cool, then coarsely grind or pound together — dukkah is traditionally left coarse and textured rather than ground to a fine powder.
- Essential for every component — nuts, sesame, and spices are each toasted to develop the blend's characteristic nutty, aromatic depth.
Origin: Egypt.
Use: Served as a dip, traditionally with bread dipped first in olive oil and then in the dukkah mixture; also used as a coating or finishing crunch for roasted vegetables and meats.
Classic Dishes: Bread and olive oil dip (dukkah’s most iconic and simple presentation); roasted vegetable and meat garnish.
Storage: Keeps 2-3 weeks at room temperature given the nut oil content, or 1-2 months refrigerated.
Variations: Regional variations extend beyond the classic Egyptian nut-based version: Levantine-style dukkah often swaps the nuts for wheat berries and legumes, while a distinct Palestinian version from Gaza omits nuts, seeds, and spices altogether in favor of a fiery chile-forward mix. Nut choice also varies by tradition and cost — hazelnuts are considered most classic, though almonds, walnuts, pistachios, or, in more budget-conscious street-food versions, peanuts are all commonly substituted.
Substitutions: Toasted almonds or pistachios in place of hazelnuts, adjusting for the different but still pleasantly nutty result.
- Hazelnuts (or a mix of hazelnuts and almonds) — 1/2 cup
- Sesame seed — 1/4 cup
- Coriander seed — 2 tbsp
- Cumin seed — 2 tbsp
- Salt and black pepper — to taste
Please log in to leave a comment.