Oh, Dukkah--Where Have You Been All My Life?

Every once in a while flavors find their way into your kitchen that renew your enthusiasm for good food. I discovered an Egyptian spice mixture called Dukkah on epicurious.com earlier this month. I couldn't resist the name. The ingredients in the mix include some of my favorite spices. The original recipe was for lamb chops--an excellent marriage of flavors. I used the leftovers to sprinkle on soup and almost everything I could think of--it's that good!

Authentic Dukkah is a mix of hazelnuts or chickpeas, seeds and a variety of spices. It is used as a dry dip for olive-oil soaked bread and to flavor everything from salads to meats.



The mixture from epicurious was made with pistachios instead of the more traditional hazelnuts or chickpeas. I altered it slightly. It was excellent and so easy to make. I am planning on concocting a new batch for our new year's eve meal this year. It will add an exotic flair to our celebration.

Pistachio Dukkah 1/2 cup roasted salted pistachios, shelled 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1/4 teaspoon sea salt Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a finely coarse mixture is obtained. Store in an airtight container.

Artsy-Foodie's Tip: Spice mixtures keep in airtight containers at room temperature for a limited amount of time depending on the spices' oil content. However, the addition of nuts to the mix makes it more likely to spoil faster. You can still keep it at room temperature but just for a day or so before the oil in the nuts starts to break down. It's best keep it in the refrigerator if you are going to need it at a later date. You can always toast it slightly in a dry pan to revive the flavors. But be careful, it burns fast.






Other great ways to use spices:
Pumpkin Seeds with Spices
Cinnamon Izmir Kofte-Meatballs
Pea Vines and Zucchini Patties