Hazelnut Crumble (Dukka)
Dukka (or Duqqa/Dukkah) is an Egyptian spiced mix of seeds of nuts sprinkled over meals to add texture and fragrance or used as a dip for bread in oil. I always prepare a small jar of dukka to keep on hand for recipes that need a little something special. It takes minutes to make and stores for months, so let’s crack on!
The word dukka comes from the Arabic for “to pound” as the mixture is traditionally pounded into a crumble. It shouldn’t be as fine as a powder, but fine enough to cling to the surface of oiled bread. I treat it as a highly aromatic, plant-based answer to parmesan cheese that’s far tastier than the flavoured palm fat they sell in most shops. It has the same rich saltiness balanced with the fat of hazelnuts, but with the added layers of spices like a za’atar, ras el hanout or baharat blend.
Traditionally made with cumin, sesame, hazelnuts, coriander, salt and pepper, I opted for a version that makes use of ingredients that grow closer to home but achieve a profile I hope all who are familiar with the original will find satisfactory.
Dukka Recipe
Condiment (many servings)
250g hazelnuts
2tbs coriander seeds
1tbs black peppercorns
1tbs yellow mustard seeds
2tsp sea salt (or smoked sea salt)
Step 1.
Preheat the oven at 200C / 390F and measure all of your ingredients except for the salt. Lay them all out on a baking tray and place it on the middle shelf of the oven. Toast them for 5 minutes, then give the tray a shake to make sure the nuts of toasting evenly. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes, then remove them from the oven.
Step 2.
Tip all of the ingredients into a pestle and mortar and add the salt. Pound them, as per tradition, until the mixture has reached the desired consistency and allow to cool before adding to a jar to store in your cupboard. It’s that easy!
Serving ideas.
As mentioned, I love dipping a nice chunk of sourdough into a high quality olive oil and into a bowl of dukka. But you can also sprinkle it into salads, over meals, or into hummus or even bread dough.