Macadamia Nut Dukkah

Dukkah, pronounced “dooka”, was a popular item on display at the recent Sydney Good Food & Wine Show.

Traditionally eaten in Egypt, dukkah is a blend of nuts, aromatic spices and seeds finely ground together to make a fragrant seasoning. Dukkah is most commonly eaten by first dipping flat bread in olive oil and then into the nut mixture.

Australians are making the exotic seasoning their own by substituting traditional spices like cumin and coriander seeds with native herbs like lemon myrtle or wattle seeds.

The nuts used in dukkah are usually hazelnuts, almonds or pecans. I gave my dukkah an Aussie twist with raw macadamia nuts. I also used pine nuts, sesame and coriander seeds, pepper and cumin.

The process of toasting and grinding the spices is wonderful. The kitchen was instantly filled with an intoxicating, sweet, nutty perfume.

My favorite way to eat macadamia nut dukkah is with fresh, crusty bread, lightly toasted, dipped in a good-quality extra virgin olive oil and then dunked in the fragrant mixture.

Other uses for dukkah include:

• Sprinkled on salads
• Sprinkled on fried eggs
• Sprinkled on roasted vegetables
• As a crust for lamb, chicken or fish
• Sprinkled over cous cous
• Sprinkled over baked brie

Photo: © S. Wongkaew (2008) licensed to About.com, Inc