Dukkah is essentially a dry blend of roasted hazelnuts seasoned with aromatics and lightly toasted sesame seeds and is a much loved speciality in Egypt. Some have suggested that Dukkah originated with the camel drivers of Egypt, who after a long day's journey would dry roast nuts, spices and sesame seeds and then crush and eat the spice blend with bread generously dipped in oil.

Hence, today Dukkah is commonly served this way as an appetizer where one dips pitta or Turkish bread into the spice blend after it has first been dipped into some good extra virgin olive oil. Dukkah also goes well with soft boiled, poached or fried eggs, grilled cheese such as haloumi or can be used to season grilled fish, chicken and vegetables or simply sprinkled over a salad.



In Australia it would appear that the art of dipping your oil soaked bread in an aromatic blend of dukkah has superseded the once fashionable trend of dipping bread into a shallow bowl of balsamic vinegar. Thus in Australia dukkah has become so popular that there is now a glut of  Aussie, Outback, Bush and Native dukkah available in selected gourmet food stores, delicatessens and can even be found on supermarket shelves.

The dukkah I am currently using is Greg Malouf's 'Classic Egyptian Dukkah' a little on the pricey side, but well worth it I think. If you are feeling adventurous you could always try and make your own dukkah as there are a plethora of recipes out there. One of the better recipes I think is Claudia Roden's one which you can find in her book Tamarind & Saffron.