Kitchen Confidence - Dukkah: pistachio & cumin or cobnut & fennel seed

I first tried dukkah in New Zealand, sprinkled over hummus, and it was love at first taste. When I came back I couldn't find a good version, so I made my own. It’s an Egyptian blend of nuts, seeds and spices, traditionally served with bread and olive oil. Claudia Roden’s classic recipe in A New Book of Middle Eastern Food, based on her mother’s family recipe, is a good place to start. These are my versions: one with pistachio and cumin, the other with Kent cobnuts and fennel.

Dukkah is easy to make your own. 

Sprinkle it over hummus, roast vegetables, salads, feta, eggs or soup, or serve it with good bread and olive oil for dipping.

Makes: about 1 jar of each

Pistachio & cumin dukkah

• 100g shelled pistachios

• 50g sesame seeds

• 1 tbsp cumin seeds

• ½ tsp salt

• A few twists of black pepper

Cobnut & fennel dukkah

• 100g cobnuts, or hazelnuts

• 50g sesame seeds

• 1 tbsp fennel seeds

• ½ tsp salt

• A few twists of black pepper

How to make it

1. Toast the nuts. Heat the oven to 160°C fan. Spread the pistachios or cobnuts on a baking tray and toast for 8–10 minutes, until fragrant. Keep an eye on them so they don’t catch. Leave to cool.

2. Toast the seeds. Toast the sesame, cumin, coriander or fennel seeds separately in a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Stir often and take them off the heat as soon as they smell fragrant and look lightly golden.

3. Crush the spices. Grind the whole spices with the salt and pepper using a pestle and mortar or spice grinder.

4. Bring it together. Add the nuts and crush to a coarse mixture. Stir through the sesame seeds. You want a crunchy blend, not a fine powder or paste. If using a food processor, pulse briefly and check as you go.

5. Store. Once everything is completely cool, keep in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place. For the freshest flavour, use within a few weeks.

A little tip: Toast each ingredient separately, as they brown at different speeds. And make a double batch: dukkah is a very handy thing to have in the cupboard and once you've tasted it you'll want to put it on everything!

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