How to make Egyptian Dukkha, it’s Easy.

Egyptian Dukkha is a mixture of nuts and spices often eaten as a dip with bread moistened with olive oil. But it’s not a one trick pony. It can be used as a crusty coating for grilled fish, or try it as a finishing sprinkle on roasted vegetables, soups or hummus.

The name refers to the Arabic term for pounding, and the mix is made by pounding roasted nuts, and spices together in a mortar and pestle. You can of course use a small food processor in place of a mortar, but remember, It should be in crushed but not powdered.

In Egypt it is served at breakfast time, as an appetiser, or as a snack in the evening. It is a very personal and individual mixture that varies from one family to another. I like to serve this with bread sticks and a bowl of olive oil with pre-dinner drinks. Its quite addictive, give it a try!

You Will Need.

• Mortar and pestle, of small food processor
• Small frying pan
• Heatproof spatula
• Jar for the finished Dukkha

Egyptian Dukkha.

Makes 175g (1 1/2 US cups)

• 30g                 sesame seed
• 40g                 hazelnuts
• 30g                 almonds
• 35g shelled pistachios
• 6                     black peppercorns
• 3,1/2 tsp         coriander seeds
• 3tsp                fennel seeds
• 5                     black peppercorns
• 2tsp                cumin seeds
• good pinch    sea  salt 

Egyptian Dukkha – roasting the nuts.

In a small frying pan gently toast the hazel nuts, The object is to lightly roast the nuts to release the flavours but be careful not to burn them. As soon as the skins begin to split, they are ready. Tip the hazelnuts onto a clean tea towel, fold the cloth over and rub the nuts together in the cloth. This will remove the bitter skins leaving just the roasted nuts. Pick the cleaned hazelnuts off the cloth and place them onto a metal tray to cool down.

Place the pan back onto the heat and roast the almonds followed by the sesame seeds. As each is ready tip them onto the metal tray with the hazelnuts. Watch the sesame seeds as they burn easily.

Egyptian Dukkha – toasting the spices.

Now it’s time to toast the spices. Add the coriander, fennel seeds and black peppercorns into the pan together. When they are ready you may see a light fragrant haze (not smoke) appearing from the pan. As soon as they are ready tip them onto a second metal tray to cool down. Keeping the spices separate from the nuts makes the crushing easier.

Egyptian Dukkha – crushing and mixing.

Once everything has cooled down, we can blend the mix together. Pour the spices into the mortar and begin to pound them together. Remember this is not a spice blend so don’t get carried away.

When the spices are broken down add the rest of the ingredients to the mortar along with the salt. Start to pound again until everything is finely crushed, but not pulverized.

If you don’t own a mortar and pestle, The crushing can be done in a mincer or an electric blender, but don’t overdo it or the oils from the nuts and seeds will form a paste running the blend.

Dukkha should always be a crushed dry mixture, and definitely not a paste.

Once ready the Dukkha be stored for a few weeks in an air-tight screw-top jar. If you have any leftover or need to store it longer, keep it in a sealed plastic box in the freezer. It should be fine for up to two months.

Enjoy Life.

John.

©John Webber2025