Duqqah, also spelled Dukkah or Dukka is an Egyptian spice blend that adds a flavorful crunch to dishes to a large array of dishes. 

What is Duqqah 

Duqqah, also spelled Dukkah or Dukka, is ahat adds a flavorful crunch to dishes. Duqqah typically has a coarse texture, resembling a dry breadcrumb or nut mixture. It’s often a combination of finely chopped nuts, seeds, and spices, resulting in a crunchy and granular texture.

Duqqah can vary in color from light beige to dark brown. It often contains a mixture of toasted nuts, seeds, and spices, giving it a speckled or mottled appearance. It has a fragrant aroma that varies depending on the ingredients used, but it often includes warm, earthy, and nutty notes with hints of herbs and spices.

Offering a complex flavor profile,  Duqqah dries warmth from the spice. The toasted nuts provide a rich, nutty taste, while the spices add depth and complexity. Common flavors include cumin, coriander, sesame seeds, and sometimes chili for a hint of heat. It’s often mildly savory with a touch of sweetness.

Duqqah is an Egyptian Versatile Pantry Staple 

Typically, Egyptians used Duqqah as a seasoning or condiment.  Yet, it can be sprinkled over a variety of dishes to add texture and flavor, such as salads, grilled meats, roasted vegetables, or dips like hummus. It can also be mixed with olive oil and used as a dip for bread.

Overall, Duqqah is a versatile and flavorful addition to many dishes, providing both texture and depth of flavor with its blend of nuts, seeds, and spices.

The Cultural Connotation of Duqqah

Historically, Dukka in Egyptian culture has been associated with humbleness and austerity as it costs almost nothing to make it, in addition to its long lasting shelf life.  

In recent years, some fancy versions of Dukka started to surface in TV food shows and cookbooks and Celebrity chefs nowadays use it as an exotic ingredient to jazz up their dishes.

Some recent trendy renditions of Dukka include pricey nuts such as hazelnuts, walnuts, and/or almonds. While this contemporary tweak compromises the Dukka’s reputation of humbleness, the fancy nuts gave Dukka a richer texture that makes it a prefect tanned crust on a roasted fish fillet or chicken breast.

My Story with Duqqah 

Growing up, Mary’s Dukka was the one that dented my memory. 

Mary Soliman has been a long time neighbor of my family. Mary was born to an Egyptian father and Greek mother. Inheriting two great cuisines, Mary always has had a genuine passion for cooking and baking.

Mary never ceases to amaze me and my family with her delectable dishes that seamlessly blend the two shores of the Mediterranean and the two segments of her identity_ Greek and Egyptian.  

With a few secret ingredients and a modern cooking approach, Mary managed to refine myriad of traditional Egyptian dishes and refine them. I witnessed this firsthand! 

Mary attributes her immaculate cooking skills to her Greek mother “Tante Janjuni”, who is a cordon blue in her own right. “Like mother, like daughter”, they say. 

Pairing passion with skill, Mary continued to hone her culinary skills and expand her food knowledge by following world class food trends and collecting the best cookbooks she can put her hands on.

Recently Mary Boctor Soliman launched MIROLLA’S BAKERY @mirollas_bakery. Her personalized menu includes artisan bread as well as a galore of cookies.

Browsing the pictures of her products is a feast to the eye. If you live in Cairo, make sure to try Mary or Mirolla’s Biscotti and artisan bread. They are to die for!

 

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Dukka Recipe  

Recipe Credit to Mary Boctor 

INGREDIENTS

•  1 cup untoasted sesame

• 1 cup untoasted peanuts or any nuts of your choice 

• 2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds

• 2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds

• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1 teaspoon dry mint, optional  

• Salt and pepper to taste 

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F.

2. Roast the nuts and spices. Lay, in one layer, the peanuts (or the nuts of your choice) on a sheet pan, and roast them till they are golden brown. You can also toast them in a skillet on the stove top. Once they become toasted and fragrant, remove from heat and leave them to cool completely.

3. Toast the Spices.: In a hot dry skillet, toast the cumin and coriander. See notes.

4. Grind the ingredients. Using a pestle or a spice grinder, grind the roasted peanuts until you reach a coarse texture. Add the spices and pulse few times until all the spices are coarsely ground and mixed up with the nuts. 

5. Salt and pepper the Duqqah to your taste.

6. Serve Dukka with olive oil, hot pita bread, cemite, bagels as a snack, or as a trimming in a breakfast next to Egyptian foul Medames and falafel.
7. Use Duqqah as a spice blend to add crust to chicken, fish fillet, and to spice up vegetables.  

8. Store the Duqqah in a lid-tight container. See notes.

NOTES 

• Toasting the spices first in a hot dry skillet will bring up the flavors and crisp up the texture. 
• Freeze Duqqah in small ziplocks and use as needed.