Dukka

or sukkah, duqqa, du-ah, do’a

This recipe is adapted from River Cottage Veg Everyday, by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

Use this as a topping for soup to add texture and a deeply satisfying savoury flavour as a contrast to the virtuous vegetables.

This quantity should be enough to top 12 bowls of soup with a tablespoon on each

Ingredients

120g nuts – cashew and pistachio work well. Use what you have to hand
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon chilli flakes, cajun spice mix or whatever warming spices you enjoy as a family
1 teaspoon sea salt crystals

Method

1. Roast the nuts, coriander and cumin seeds in the oven for 3-5 minutes at 160ºC fan, until the nuts start to brown and you can smell them.
2. Separately toast the sesame seeds either in the oven for 3-5 minutes at 160º fan, or in a pan on the hob while you keep moving them. Don’t burn them (like I often do). You’ll smell them when they are done enough.
3. Chop the nuts roughly. Then crush them a little in a pestle and mortar. Add to a plastic storage box or glass jar.
4. Grind the coriander and cumin seeds in a pestle and mortar. Add to the plastic storage box or jar.
5. Grind the sesame seeds with the chilli (or other spice) and salt in a pestle and mortar. Add to the plastic storage box or jar.
6. Put the lid on the storage box or jar and give it all a good shake to combine.

Serve a tablespoon on top of each bowl of soup.

Will keep in the sealed box or jar for at least a couple of weeks.

Variations

Adapt this recipe by using any combination of nuts, seeds and spices that you enjoy or that you want to use up.