Dukkah

Dukkah belongs to that ancient foundation of Egyptian peasant cuisine where the goal was to preserve for long periods, in a simple and nourishing form, the best that the harvests had to offer: hazelnuts, sesame seeds, coriander. Its name comes from the Arabic verb meaning "to pound," a gesture that alone summarizes the entire preparation. Once pounded in stone mortars by women in villages of the Delta and Upper Egypt, this mixture was passed down from mother to daughter, each family guarding its particular proportions like a discreet secret. It accompanied daily flatbread, offering field workers an easily portable protein and fat source that required no refrigeration. Even today, it can be found sold in small bags at Cairo markets, a sign of this rural tradition's persistence in urban life.

• 150 g shelled hazelnuts
• 100 g white sesame seeds
• 50 g coriander seeds
• 30 g cumin seeds
• 20 g fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
• olive oil and flatbread for serving

1. Toast the hazelnuts, sesame, coriander, cumin, and fennel separately in a dry pan over low heat until fragrant.
2. Allow each toasted ingredient to cool slightly before combining them.
3. Pound everything together in a mortar, in small batches, until you achieve a coarse, sandy texture, never a smooth paste.
4. Incorporate the salt and pepper by mixing by hand to distribute the flavors evenly.
5. Store in an airtight jar, away from moisture, and serve by dipping bread first in olive oil, then in the dukkah.

Dukkah captivates with its irregular crunch, where hazelnut fragments meet the fineness of toasted seeds. Its aroma is warm and earthy, carried by coriander and cumin, with an anise note from fennel that softens the whole. On the palate, it reveals a grainy texture, dry then rich once olive oil is absorbed, both rustic and aromatic.