DUKKAH - EGYPTIAN SPICE BLEND

While at work, during the lunch break, I was going through some women magazines when I came across a recipe for a wonderful seasoning that intrigued me to the highest point. I'm a real sucker for spices and anything which's function is to perfume, flavor or enhance dishes, so there was no way that I wasn't going to try it...

I photocopied the page where the recipe was and took my precious little bounty back home. I was all ecxited by my find. A few days later, I finally tested it and I must say that I was blown away by my discovery!

"Dukkah" is a highly versatile Egyptian spice blend made of coarsely ground nuts and finely powdered seeds that have been previously roasted. The combination of those ingredients vary depending on the cook as there is not one mix existing, but many. It can somehow be compared to it's Israeli/Palestianian/Lebanese/Jordanian cousin called "Za'atar".

"Dukkah" has been part of the Egyptian cuisine since the time of the Pharaohs and is used throughout the Middle East. Traditionally, it is eaten by dipping fresh "Eesh Baladi" bread (see recipe 1 & recipe 2) into olive oil and then into the nut/seed spice mixture.

This spice mix is really terribly addictive, delightfully fragrant and unique. With it's pleasant crunch and scrumptious smoky taste, it transforms any simple dish into something original and extremely flavorful. Heavenly aromatic!

Taste it and you'll adopt it!!!

~ Dukkah ~
Recipe taken from the magazine "Australian Women's Weekly", November 2007 and adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums.

Makes 2 1/2 Cups.

Ingredients:
2/3 Cup (110g) Blanched almonds
2/3 Cup (110g) Hazelnut
1/2 Cup (57g) Sesame seeds
1/4 Cup (20g) Coriander seeds
2 Tbs Cumin seeds
2 Tsps Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tsps Fine sea salt

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F).
2. Spread almonds and hazelnuts on oven trays.
3. Roast in oven about 10 minutes or until toasted.
4. Transfer hazelnuts to a clean tea towel and rub nuts in tea towel to remove as much of the hazelnut skin as possible.
5. Let cool.
6. Meanwhile, toast sesame seeds in a medium dry frying pan over low heat, stirring occasionally until golden brown.
7. Transfer sesame seeds to a large heatproof bowl.
8. Let cool.
9. Process almonds and hazelnuts, until chopped finely.
10. Add to sesame seeds.
11. Combine coriander and cumin seeds in same medium dry frying pan, cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until fragrant.
12. Let cool.
13. Grind seeds using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
14. Add ground seeds to almond mixture with pepper and salt. Mix well.
15. Store in airtight jars.

Remarks:
If you don't want to use a mortar and pestle to grind the seeds, then I recommend you to use 20g ground coriander and 2 Tbs ground cumin that's you'll very lightly toast/roast until fragrant. Be very careful, not to burn the spices!
Store in airtight jars/containers for up to a month.

Serving suggestions:
Dukkah is delicious with olive oil and bread, sprinkled over salads, hard boiled eggs, vegetables, pasta dishes, dips or soups.
"Dukkah" can replace breadcrumb dressing and can be used to coat meat, fish, seafood, tofu steaks or slices of cheese, etc..

***************

~ Dukkah ~
Recette tirée du magazine "Australian Women's Weekly", November 2007 et adaptée par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums.

Donne 2 1/2 tasses.

Ingrédients:
110g d'Amandes blanchies
110g de Noisettes entières
75g de Graines de sésame
20g de Graines de coriandre
2 CS de Graines de cumin (kamoun)
2 CC de Poivre noir fraîchement moulu
2 CC de Sel de mer fin et non-blanchi

Méthode:
1. Préchauffer le four à 180° C.
2. Mettre les amandes et les noisettes sur des plaques de cuisson.
3. Faire torréifier pendant envirant 10 minutes, ou jusqu'à ce qu'elles soient dorées.
4. Mettre les noisettes dans un linge propre et frotter afin d'enlever leur peau.
5. Laisser refroidir.

6. Faire dorer les graines de sésame dans une poêle à frire, tout en remuant à intervals réguliers.
7. Mettre les graines de sésame dans un bol et laisser refroidir.
8. Mettre les amandes et les noisette dans le bol d'un mixer et hacher très finement.
9. Ajouter ce mélange aux graines de sésame.
10. Mettre les graines de coriandre et de cumin dans une poêle et faire cuire (torréfaction), à feu doux, jusqu'à ce qu'elles dégagent un fort parfum.
11. Laisser refroidir.
12. Dans un mortier, réduire le cumin et la coriandre en fine poudre.
13. Ajouter au mélange amandes/noisettes/sésame.
14. Ajouter le poivre moulu et le sel, et bien mélanger.
15. Mettre dans deux pots hermétiques.

Remarques:
Si vous ne voulez pas passer par l'étape du mortier, alors vous pouvez utiliser 20g de poudre de coriandre et 2 CS de poudre de cumin que vous ferez chauffer dans une poêle, à feu doux, pendant quelques minutes, jusqu'à ce qu'elles dégagent un fort parfum. Attention, à ne pas brûler vos épices!
Conservez votre Dukkah dans un pot hermétiquement fermé pendant 1 mois.

Idées de présentation:
Ce mélange d'épices est délicieux avec du pain trempé dans de l'huile d'olive, saupoudré sur vos salades, oeufs durs, légumes, plats de pâtes, dips ou soupes.
Le "Dukkah" peut même être utilisé comme panure pour vos viandes, poissons, fruits de mer, steaks de tofu et tranches de fromages, etc..