Dukkah

What it is

Dukkah (also spelled duqqa) is an Egyptian condiment of toasted nuts and seeds pounded with spices and salt to a coarse, dry, crumbly texture — never a paste. A typical blend leans on hazelnuts or almonds, sesame, coriander and cumin seed, and sometimes fennel, pepper, or dried herbs. It is nutty, toasty, warm, and a little citrusy from the coriander.

Traditionally it is eaten by dipping bread first into olive oil, then into dukkah — which makes it a natural friend to an oil-rich focaccia.

Using it on focaccia

Treat dukkah as a finish. Its whole appeal is crunch and fresh toasted aroma, both of which a long, hot bake destroys — nuts and sesame scorch and turn bitter. Scatter it generously over the focaccia as it comes out of the oven, while the surface is glossy with oil so it sticks.

It is superb over roasted vegetables and creamy elements: roasted carrot or squash, labneh or soft cheese, a swipe of hummus. A roasted-carrot-and-dukkah focaccia finished after baking keeps every bit of the blend’s texture.

Buying, making, and storing

You can buy good dukkah from Middle Eastern grocers and spice shops, or make your own by toasting nuts and seeds and coarsely crushing them with toasted spices and salt — homemade is fresher and lets you control the nut. Because it is full of oil-rich nuts and seeds, it goes stale and rancid; store it airtight, cool and dark, and use it within a couple of months.