Hi, welcome to ‘The Westcoaster’ our food and lifestyle blog by John Webber. Our mission is simple – one to excite and encourage people to produce good fresh food. Secondly to promote the virtues of costal countryside living,
If you haven’t tasted my Sherry Wine Vinegar Chicken before, you might think I’ve gone mad. Cooking a chicken in vinegar, and with all that garlic? It must be awful? Well, you’d be wrong, it’s fantastic!
Learning How To Make a Sourdough Starter is one of the most satisfying kitchen jobs. Watching the starter come to life and knowing there is some great sourdough bread to come. Spring and summer are ideal time to start the process. The warmer air temperature and abundant of natural yeasts helps the process along. Yes, it can go wrong, but with a few simple steps it becomes a lot more reliable.
I think making a starter and then the bread is a little like gardening. It’s a living thing that needs nurturing to grow and succeed. You watch the dough grow and mature and finally develop into a grown-up loaf. Good bread is fundamental in the kitchen, and nothing makes better toast than a sourdough loaf.
When making bread we need natural gasses and steam in the dough to expand in cooking and force the dough to rise and give us a light texture to the loaf. In most cases we use yeast added to the dough to feed on the carbohydrate in the flour and give off carbon dioxide. This is trapped in the dough and provides the lift.
Not all bread however needs yeast, flatbreads like chapati rely on steam created by cooking a fierce heat. Soda bread uses bicarbonate of soda activated by buttermilk or yoghurt. Traditional Naan bread used natural yeasts to ferment and produce the gas. I like most people put a little fast action yeast in the mix to seep things up a bit.
We have not totally lost touch with the past, today sourdough bread is tremendously popular and has numerous advantages. It will go stale slower, has a better flavour, creates a great crust, and no additives. The entire process is completely natural only using air born yeasts to make the starter.
If you have had children making a sourdough starter will be second nature, regular feeds, cleaning and a bit of love are all that’s needed. The Sourdough Starter is a combination of flour and water, which, when mixed together, activates and produces carbon dioxide bubbles. This chemical reaction helps bread rise. I also like to add a little live Bio Yoghurt to help boost the process.
You will get the best results with unbleached flour, but to get started you can use what to have in the cupboard. Make sure the flour is strong bread flour, not ordinary plain (soft) flour used for cakes and pastry.
I like to use a mixture of white and Rye flour mixed in two parts white to one Rye. If you want to use all white flour that’s fine, but you may only need 50ml of water for each mix depending on your flour. The Rye flour adds a sweetness to the starter and produces a good fermentation.
You can still make a white sourdough loaf with this starter. The Rye will just enrich the bread a little
Yeast cells lie dormant at 0˚c and will be active right up to 49˚c when they will die. At the temperatures in between the yeasts will feed and grow. The best working temperatures are between 21 to 28˚c, I aim to have the water for the starter at about 32˚c to 38˚c. The flour will be a little cooler so when mixed with the water we should be near the optimum temperature for the process to begin.
I had difficulty in first getting my starter to work. At that time, I was using mains water, and I noticed that it sometimes had a whiff of chorine. Now this might have been due to our rural location, but a high chorine content will spoil the reaction.
To get around this, use a water filter or leave a jug of water uncovered for 24 hours. If you’re in a hurry boiling, then cooling the water will also reduce the chorine. I find I get the most reliable results by using mineral water. Remember to have the water at about 32˚c to 38˚c in order to get the fermentation going.
This will take about six days, but it will vary depending on the time of year and the room temperature. It’s important the keep the starter out of the fridge until fully developed. If it’s the hight of summer and your kitchen is like an oven you may need to use the fridge to slow things down a bit.
Don’t be overly worried if your starter reacts a little differently to the recipe. Your conditions will be different to mine, the air born bacteria needed will be different according to where you live. And that’s the beauty of it your, sourdough is unique to you.
Measure the flour mix into a clean bowl and add the water slowly and mix to form a firm batter. This method should avoid lumps of unmixed flour in your starter. Once you have a smooth batter work in the remainder of the flour and the yoghurt, you should finish up with a consistency like half-whipped cream. Spoon the mixture into your proving jar without spilling it down the sides of the jar.
Remember not to close the lid of the jar, if you’re worried about fruit flies or dust getting into the jar drape a sheet of muslin over the jar. Find a nice warm place out of direct sunlight to store the jar and just leave it to do its thing.
Use the chart below to monitor your starter, print it off and stick it onto the fridge door to guide you through the process.
On days one and two, not much will have happened. By day three bubbles should be visible in the starter, and it will have expanded up the jar.
On day four we now remove half of the mix and feed it with fresh flour. This discard can be thrown away, but keep the discard produced on day five. This can be used to make other sourdough products like sourdough crumpets.
By day six your starter should be ready for use. If its bubbling but not really active, repeat the twice daily feeds for a day or two. Don’t expect your starter to react the same as a friends. Ingredients, location and the time of year all have influence on how a sourdough develops.
| Day 0ne | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four | Day Five | Day six |
| Mix 75g flour blend With 90ml water and 1tsp bio yoghurt Mix and add to jar. Leave 24 hrs. | Add 75g flour blend With 90ml water and 1tsp bio yoghurt . Give the starter a stir and Leave 24 hrs. | Mix 75g flour blend with 90ml water. Mix in half of the old starter and pour into a clean jar. Discard the remaining old starter. Leave 24 hrs | In the morning Add 40g flour blend with 3tbsp water. Add to starter And mix well in. Leave 12 hrs …. In the evening Mix 40g flour blend with 3tbsp water. Add to starter And mix in well Leave 12 hrs | In the morning Mix 40g flour blend with 3tbsp water. Mix in half of the old starter and pour into a clean jar. Leave 12 hrs …. Add a tbsp. of flour into the discard, put into a clean jar and pop into the fridge …. In the evening Mix40g flour blend with 3tbsp water. Add to starter And mix in well Leave 12 hrs | Mix 40g flour blend with 3tbsp water. Add to starter And mix well in. The starter should be ready for use. See below for ongoing storage. |
If you love to bake frequently, keep the starter in a cool part of the kitchen and feed it each day as part of the baking process
Once the starter is ready for use, you can keep it in the fridge . Remember to close the lid and put it in the colder part of the fridge. The cold will put the yeasts to sleep but not kill them. If you are not baking that week, feed the starter twice a week with 50g of flour mix and 50ml of water. Remove half of the old starter on the second feed to keep everything fresh. And use a clean storage jar.
I like to do the second feed on a Sunday morning and use the discard to make my Sourdough Crumpets.
It’s even possible to dry your starter and store it in a sealed jar for 6 months or more.
Thinly spread the starter onto a non-stick baking mat and leave to dry. It’s a good idea to leave the tray in the oven to keep the fruit flies away. Don’t turn the oven on, you will kill the yeasts. If you can turn on the oven light on without the element it’s an effective way of drying out and stubborn damp spots.
Once the starter is completely dry lift it off the mat and break it into pieces. Store the pieces in an airtight container in a cool dry place. You could also use a vegetable dehydrator to do this if you have one at home.
It’s also possible to freeze the starter in ice cube trays. This is great if you are going away for a couple of weeks and have nobody to tend to it. It should be fine in the freezer for up to six weeks. Whichever method you use the preserved starter to begin a new batch of starter. Don’t try and use it directly to make sourdough products.
You should be able to keep your sourdough starter alive for years, it will become part of the family.
There are even sourdough groups who will take your starter on a holiday and look after it if you are going away for a break.
Now we have our starter up and ready to go its time to make some bread!!!!
Don’t panic, if you see light coloured liquid on top, (known as Hooch) that’s normal. Your starter has been a neglected and needs feeding. To revive the starter, mix 75g of flour mix with 90ml of water, then add roughly four tablespoons of the starter, and dump the rest of the starter. Pour the new starter into a clean jar and leave at room temperature for 24 hours.
The day after, feed twice a day as in day four of the schedule. You may need to repeat the twice a day feed the following day if activity is low.
If the liquid is very dark, I would recommend throwing it away and starting a new starter. You may have some bacteria lurking that you don’t want.
Enjoy Life!
John.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
Join The ‘Westcoaster Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at ‘The Westcoaster.’
©John Webber2025
Raspberry Flapjacks are a great snacking standby. Quick and easy to make, and the kids love them. I prefer to use frozen raspberries as it seems a waste to use fresh. But I also find adding the raspberries frozen stops them breaking up too much when been mixed into the oats. I have also used a little raspberry powder to add a flavour punch to the flapjacks. It not essential but it does add a little extra.
There is nothing better than Real Caramel Sauce served with a dessert. Sure, you can by a readymade caramel sauce, but its often a sweet, unexciting copy of the real thing. And not only is this fantastic as a sauce, but it can also become and ingredient as well in ice creams or baking.
Crispy Chicken Pakora are popular ether as part of a meal, or just on their own. And ideal if you are having friends over or just having a quite night in. Packed with flavour but easy to make.
We will also show you how to make a cheats pakora dip with ingredients you already have at home. I have often heard this referred to as red dip, or Glasgow dip. I guess this might be due to the popularity of a pakora as a snack after a late Saturday night out.
The key to a good pakora is the batter. Don’t use wheat flour, it’s just not up to the job. Gram flour, also known as besan (chickpea flour) is the only one to use. It gives the right consistency and flavour to the pakora, and as a bonus, its gluten free. Adding a little cornflour to the mix produces a crisper batter.
The same batter can be used for other pakora. I’ll show you how to make, other options like vegetable, potato, prawn, and cauliflower in a post later.
In the past frying in deep oil has fallen out of vouge due to health concerns. However, its often the only way to produce a specific result. British fish and chips been an example. Our main concern is the safety aspect of doing this at home. The problem with ‘chip-pan’ fires is well documented. This can be avoided with some simple rules.
Never leave a pan unattended on the heat. If your oil becomes overheated, it can spontaneously burst into flames. If this was to happen turn off the heat and cover the pan with a fire blanket of damp, not wet cloth. Leave the pan to cool completely and don’t be tempted to lift the cloth for a peep. Air can make the oil re-ignite.
If possible, use a dedicated electric deep fat fryer. These have cut outs to avoid the above happening. If this is not possible a wok if the best option. When food is added to the oil it will bubble and expand with steam. Saucepans let the oil rise in the pan and may spill it over the top of the pan. A wok on the other hand allows the oil to expand sideways as well. This is much less likely to spill over and cause a fire.
Don’t have any flammable materials close to the pan when cooking.
And Never fill your pan more than one third full of oil
Serves two as a main or four as a side dish.
To serve
Makes 100ml of dip.
Our first job is to make up the dip for the pakora. Measure all the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together, and he-presto you have a dip. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until you are ready to start cooking the pakora. This will give time for the flavours to develop.
Take a bowl and mix the flour, garlic paste, salt, pepper, chillies, coriander, and mango powder, in a little water, to form a smooth paste. Put the batter to one side and leave to rest for half an hour to rest and let the starch expand.
When needed, take the batter and add enough water to make a thick cream consistency (when lifted in a spoon and dropped, it should fall in a continuous smooth stream).
If you haven’t already done so dry off the chicken and cut into dice 3cm in size. Don’t make the pieces too large or you may have difficulty insuring they are cooked though. To enable the batter to stick to the moist meat its best to pre-coat the chicken before adding into the batter.
Place the chicken pieces into a bowl and add the egg white. Using a gloved hand massage the egg white into the chicken. Add the spices and gram flour and mix together to coat the diced pieces.
Add the coated chicken to the basic batter and you’re ready to start cooking.
Heat the oil in a deep fat fryer or wok to 175˚c or until a drop of batter dropped in comes up to the surface at once.
Using a spoon and lower the chicken pieces into the hot oil. Don’t drop them in from a hight in case the oil spits out and causes a burn.
You will need to cook the chicken in two batches. As each batch is ready lift them out with a spider on to absorbent paper to drain and keep aside. Then should take roughly 4 minutes to cook but use a probe thermometer to check the doneness. The centre of the meat must reach 75˚c to insure it’s cooked through.
When ready to serve, heat the oil again to 180˚and dip the pakora though the oil to crisp them up.
Remove from oil, drain on an absorbent paper, and serve with some coriander, red onions, lime and of course the dip on the side.
Adding a little cornflour or rice flour lightens the gram flour and makes the batter less dense. The bicarbonate of soda reacts as the water is added and produces some gasses which make for a crisper batter. Some chefs like to use sparkling mineral water to make a batter. This again add gas to make the batter super light.
Enjoy life!
John.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
Join The ‘Westcoaster Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at ‘The Westcoaster.’
©John Webber2025
The Dark Chocolate Tart offers a luxurious comfort food experience with a rich chocolate filling in crisp pastry, best served with crème fraiche. Key elements for success include using high-quality chocolate (70%-75% cocoa), a properly prepared pastry shell, and careful technique to achieve a silky texture. Testing baking times is advisable.
These Asian Salmon Samosas are a quick, flavorful twist on the Indian classic. Made with salmon, ginger, garlic, and spices, they feature crispy filo pastry and can be paired with a chili and tomato jam. The samosas can be prepared in advance, ensuring a delightful and fragrant dish.
Making a Blind Baked Pastry Tart is not an overly arduous process. But following a few basic steps will ensure success. This is quite a long explanation but is worth the effort in reading all the way through.
Here we are using a loose bottomed tart tin suitable to serve six to eight people. You can of course use the same technique for smaller tins or as an alternative use perforated tart rings. You can find the method for working with those in our post, How to use Perforated Tart Rings.
I would always recommend baking using metal tins and rings for blind baking. Silicone containers can also a be used for general baking. But I think the robustness of metal gives a more reliable result for tarts and flans. I’m not a fan of ceramic quiche or flan dishes. The material is too thick for fast heat transfer. And it’s very difficult to remove the finish article from the dish.
For deeper robust tarts I like to use a 23cm x 3cm loose bottomed tart shell. The ones made by masterclass are excellent quality and will last for years.
Baking sheets should be robust enough not to bend or warp in the oven. An increasing number of chefs are using perforated baking sheets or baking mats. These allow the hot air to circulate around the pastry more efficiently.
Remember all ovens are different, some run a little hotter some cooler. Some ovens they will have one side hotter than the other. This requires you to turn the food around to even out the cooking.
Trust yourself, you know your oven better that anybody. Don’t be a slave to a recipe – even mine!
If you find your food over colouring turn the oven down a little. And if you need to turn the food around. Do it quickly without leaving the oven door open for ages.
Now we have our pastry well chilled, but if you’re trying to use any pastry in a hot kitchen or at home on a warm summer’s day it’s a great help to chill anything in contact with the pastry.
Work surfaces can be cooled by placing a baking tray where to plan to roll out and throwing some ice cubes into the tray.as they melt it will cool the work surface. Make sure you dry off the surface before you begin. While the surface is cooling pop the rolling pin into the fridge to cool down. I prefer to use a polypropylene pin that is easy to keep clean but also will stay chilled for ages it left in the fridge overnight.
Down to work. Lightly flour the work surface and place your pastry in the centre. Begin to roll gently with the pin, turning around the pastry as you go to even out the stress. Keep rolling and turning dusting with a pinch of flour if needed but don’t use handfuls of it.
Once you have a circle of pastry large enough to fill the tart shell and about 5mm thick roll the pastry around the pin. Bring up the tart tin then carefully unroll the pastry allowing it to drop into the shell tacking care not to cut the pastry off on the edges of the tin.
Take a small piece of spare dough and wrap it in cling film. Use this to press the dough down into the corners of the shell and around the fluted edges. Your fingers will cut through the pastry, but the soft ball of dough will gently form the pastry to the shape of the shell.
If the tart is to be filled with a custard base like a lemon tart don’t remove the excess pastry from the top but carefully fold it over the rim on the outside. This will stop the pastry shrinking down inside the rim during baking and prevent any liquid seeping down between the cooked shall and the tin when the tart is filled for its second bake.
If the shell is to be filled with a firmer filling after baking trim off the excess pastry and pinch up the rim with the fingertips to fix it to the top of the tin. As soon as the tart is completed place it into the fridge to rest for at least an hour before baking.
Its frequent practice in commercial kitchens to use several layers of PVC free cling film to line the shell before adding weight to hold the pastry down. It works very well and produces very neat straight sides as the film moulds to the shape of the shell and keeps pressure on the pastry preventing it from lifting or swelling while in the oven. If your pastry shell is to have a dry or thick filling added, you can lightly prick the base with a fork to release steam. If, however, if you’re using a thin custard like filling, I would avoid this as the filling may leak though to the meatal shell and weld the pastry to the shell.
However, the court is out relating to the possibility of plasticiser leaching into the pastry with the heat of the oven. The film won’t melt it, needs a bit over 200˚c to do that, and we are generally baking at about 175˚c – 180˚c. Commercial film is stronger and thicker than the type to use at home and with the possible plasticiser problem I recommend using greaseproof paper at home.
Before we get to the next steps turn on the oven , we are going to bake at 170ºc -180º (fan) 185˚c – 200˚c conventional. But, I want you to turn the oven up another 20˚c. Then place your baking sheet into the oven to heat up.
Cut off a square of greaseproof at least 6cm larger than the diameter of the tart tin. Fold it in half then turn 90º and fold in half again to form a square. Find the corner of the square that was the centre of the sheet. Hold the corner between finger and thumb then fold the opposite end of the paper over a little like making a paper plane.
Keep repeating the folds until you have a thick wedge shape. Now using scissors trim the open end of the paper wedge in a curve to remove all the loose sections. Open out the paper and with any luck you will have a circle of greaseproof large that the pastry shell.
Before using the paper to line the shell scrunch it up in your hands. In fact, it’s best to squash and crush it two or three times before use. The idea is to make the paper a forgiving as possible and mould itself to the pastry without forming gaps or cutting through the pastry.
Take the lined tart shell and carefully place the paper on top of the pastry. Press the paper into the corners of the shell and add some weight into the paper to hold the pastry down.
Personal preference here is simply to use dried peas, they are cheap, work well and can be re-used many times. Ceramic baking beans don’t do a better job and cost a fortune and please don’t use rice! Some people advocate rice, but I think it’s a nightmare. It’s difficult to remove the rice neatly with the paper after baking, it falls all over the place. Also, and more importantly it can find its way between the paper and the pastry during filling. If that happens the rice sinks into the pastry during baking and is exceedingly difficult to remove. Fine if you like crunchy pastry!
When you are ready to bake open the oven and slide the tart shell onto the pre-heated baking sheet. Turn the oven down to the correct baking temperature and set a timer for 12 minutes.
The idea is quite simple, the act of opening the door and putting in the tart cools the oven down this means the pastry begins to cook at the correct temperature, not sitting in to cool an oven and melting before beginning to set.
If we put the tart into the oven on a cold tray it will take ages for the base of the tart to heat though and again it will be soft, and none of want a soggy bottom, do we….
After the 12 minutes remove the tray from the oven and SHUT THE DOOR. Carefully lift one edge of the paper and have a look at the base of the tart. If it looks uncooked return the tray to the oven for 3-4 minutes more. If the pastry looks cooked but moist lift the paper and beans out of the tart the return it to the oven for another 3 minutes to dry the base.
If you are baking the tart to be used with a liquid filling, like a lemon and lime tart, or my Walnut and Apricot Tart. It’s a good idea to brush the inside of the pastry with an egg yolk beaten with a dash of water before returning the tart to the oven. Its also a good idea to leave the pastry overlap on until the filling is set
The egg yolk will seal any small holes in the pastry and make the pasty resistant to moisture. This will prevent a possible disaster from the filling leaking out, and also keep the pastry crisper for longer.
If your filling is not likely to flow over the edges of the tart, like my Glazed dark Chocolate Tart. Remove the overlapping pastry before filling. To do this, run the blade of a small knife across the top edge of the tin. Work outwards and don’t try to do too much at once. As you shave the top of the pastry the overlap will fall off onto the baking tray.
Don’t waste it! The excess pastry make a great dunking biscuit for the chef’s coffee break.
And bingo… you should have a Blind Baked Pastry Tart to fill or use as you wish. This process is the same for large or small individual tarts give it a go.
Enjoy life!
John.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
Join The ‘Westcoaster Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at ‘The Westcoaster.’
©John Webber2025
The Isle of Lismore, a serene 10-mile long island in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides, offers rich wildlife and history. With a small population of about 170, it remains largely untouched by tourism. Accessible by ferry, visitors can explore various scenic routes and historical sites, including the Lismore Gaelic Heritage Centre and Achanduin Castle.
My Luxurious Walnut and Apricot Tart is a variation on a classic Scottish Ecclefechan Tart. Its quite indulgent, yet easy to make. The addition of vinegar in the filling may seem a little strange, yet it is the perfect foil for the richness of the butter and sugar custard the holds the tart together.
Black Olive Tapenade is a spread that bursts with flavour and originates from the Provence region of France. Using simple ingredients, olives, capers, anchovies and olive oil you can create a spread is right up there in the flavour steaks. The anchovies provide an umami / briny hit to the taste, but not all Tapenade recipes use them (see below).
Tapenade is great to have in the fridge as it is very versatile, great for bruschetta, small canapés and a great addition to some soups like courgette and parmesan. It is superb with fish and also very good with chicken, lamb and beef. Try rubbing some tapenade under the skin of a chicken before roasting or finishing a fried egg with a dollop of tapenade. You’ll never look back and all it take is five minutes.
Drain the olives and check them over in case any fragments of stones are still inside them. It only takes one to ruin the blades of your processor.
Peel the garlic, split it in half and remove any green shoot that you see. Roughly chop the garlic flesh and put to one side.
Pick the leaves from the parsley and roughly chop the leaves. You will need 2 tbsp for the mix.
Add the olives to the processor, then add the rest of the ingredients apart from the olive oil. Process the contents to a paste. I prefer to leave a little texture in the Tapenade, but there is nothing wrong in making it smother if you wish.
When the mix is ready begin to add the olive oil using the processer in short bursts. I sometimes add a little of the oil the anchovies were stored in if you want more flavour have a taste adding a tough of salt if needed.
Should the Tapenade taste too oily add just a dash more lemon juice to cut though the oil.
Black Olive Tapenade can be made a week in advance and even freezes very well.
If you require to store in the fridge, place in a clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, fill nearly to the top and pour some olive oil over, this will protect it from the air.
Yes, as I said above not all recipes use them, however they do add a lot of depth to the mix. Try adding some sun-dried tomatoes instead to ger a salty hit. A little miso paste is also particularly good for adding an umami background and bringing out all the other flavours.
Enjoy Life.
John.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
Join The ‘Westcoaster Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at ‘The Westcoaster.’
©John Webber2025
The Expresso Crème Caramels combine creamy sweetness with a touch of bitterness from perfectly cooked caramel. This dish tests cooking skills while allowing for stress-free preparation ahead of time. Key ingredients include espresso, sugar, milk, cream, and eggs, with careful steps needed for making caramel and custard to achieve a delightful dessert.
The Isle of Kerrera, a quaint island near Oban, boasts the shortest ferry crossing in Scotland. With only about 70 residents, it is a popular summer destination. Attractions include Gylen Castle, the Waypoint restaurant, and Ardentrive Farm. Visitors can enjoy scenic walks, local produce, and refreshments at the Tea Garden.
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!
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.
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.
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.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
Join The ‘Westcoaster Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at ‘The Westcoaster.’
©John Webber2025