Author Notes: Dukkah, which in Arabic means “to pound,” is an aromatic mixture of dried legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. It is the poor man’s breakfast or perfect travel food in the Middle East and parts of Africa. It is especially popular in Egypt, where flat bread is dipped in olive oil, then in Dukkah. This freezes well, so you can have it on hand to serve as a snack with drinks or to watch your favorite movie. Roasted chickpeas are generally available from Indian and Middle Eastern grocers. —epicureanodyssey
Serves: makes about 2 1/2 cups
Ingredients
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2/3
cup sesame seeds
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1/2
cup hazelnuts, with or without skins
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1/2
cup roasted chickpeas
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1/2
cup coriander seeds
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3
tablespoons cumin seeds
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1
teaspoon dried thyme
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1
teaspoon kosher salt
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1/2
teaspoon black peppercorns
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2
tablespoons mild Hungarian paprika
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1
teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika, optional
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extra virgin olive oil, for dipping
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flatbread or crusty bread, your choice, preferably warm
Directions
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet until golden. Remove and set aside. Roast the hazelnuts and chickpeas, separately, in the same hot pan for about 4-5 minutes each or until aromatic. Remove and set aside. Reserve two tablespoons of the roasted hazelnuts. Dry toast the coriander and cumin seeds until aromatic. Remove from pan and let cool.
- Mix all the Dukkah ingredients except the paprika and reserved hazelnuts in a bowl. In a spice grinder or small food processor, grind the dukkah, leaving a little texture if you’d like. Transfer to a serving bowl and stir in the paprika and the reserved hazelnuts.
- To serve, place the olive oil in a separate bowl, and put the dukkah and oil side by side on a large serving platter with flatbread or crusty bread. The bread is dipped first into the oil, then into the dukkah.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.