āQuick pickles, garlic confit, caramelized onions, and chili oil, are some of my favorite flavor bombs*.
What are flavor bombs? Theyāre ācondimentsā that areā¦you guessed itā¦big on flavor! And having jars of them in your fridge makes weeknight dinners a breeze. Whether added during the cooking process or just as a finishing touch, they make even a simple dish taste fancy.
Enter one of my favorite flavor bombs: dukkah. š£
*Just giving credit where itās due! āFlavor bombā is a term for these ācondimentsā that I stole from Yotam Ottolenghi.
Dukkah (pronounced DOO-kah) is made up of a mix of ground nuts, seeds, and dried herbs. For example, it could be crushed peanuts and hazelnuts, with sesame seeds, whole cumin seeds, black peppercorns, dried mint, and a pinch of salt.
So itās like a spice blend but with a coarse, crunchy texture due to the nuts.
Dukkah is the perfect way to add aromatic flavor and crunch to just about any dish.
Think about pasta with garlicky olive oil or a creamy potato soup. They are both basic, yet comforting dishes. But you can elevate them by sneaking in pops of flavor and texture. Adding embellishmentālike dukkahāmake food go from comforting to thought-provoking. Itās about creating contrast to excite your palate.
There are two ways that I use dukkah.
The simplest way to get the full dukkah experience is to add it to olive oil and then dip bread in it. You get a unique flavor and texture to an otherwise classic combo. This will show you the true power of dukkah.
But donāt stop there.
I love using dukkah as a garnish to:
When all else fails, throw it on top!
Breading meat or vegetables gives them extra crunch. It breaks up a āmeatyā piece of eggplant or a thick chicken breast.
And we can similarly use dukkah.
Take coarsely ground dukkah and push it onto your meat like you would a rub. Itās a spice blend after all, right? But since it has coarsely ground nuts too, you also get a beautiful, crunchy crust. I particularly love it on š and š.
You can buy dukkah, but itās easy to make your own.
Hereās where you unleash your creativity.
The first step in making dukkah is to decide what to put in it. You can use just about any nut, seed, spice, and/or dried herb. š¤
Hereās some inspiration to get you started. (No, itās not a recipe I swear!!!)
As you see the ratio is about 4 parts nuts to 3 parts spices. But how you mix and match is up to you!
You just have to balance the flavors.
For example, swap the almonds for walnuts! But since walnuts are more bitter, try using fennel seeds instead of cumin or sneak in a bit of sweet paprikaāyes, already ground spices work too. Their sweetness will balance the bitterness in the walnuts.
Letās do another one. Cashews are one of my favorite nuts to use. But they get pretty sweet when toastedāmore on that in a bit. Try using more earthy spices like cumin and swapping the mint for dried oregano. Or you could add a touch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper. Spicy balances sweet after all! š¶
Toasting: We start by applying heat to intensify the flavor.
(1) Toast the raw almonds in a pan on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until they start to change color and become fragrant.
You want to add the nuts first since theyāll take the longest to toast. Adding sequentially prevents burning. Also, I like to start toasting in a cold pan. It helps the nuts warm up and toast evenly.
(2) Next, add the whole seeds and spices. Continue to toast and stir for another 1-2 minutes.
A couple of things: It burns easily so watch it and stir frequently. If using ground spices, add them at the end. They only need 30 seconds in the pan to toast.
(3) Once everything turns a shade or two darker and becomes intoxicatingly fragrant, itās done.
Use your senses here! Watch, taste, and smell! šš š
Grinding: This part is pretty simple.
First off, let the nuts and spices cool a bit. If you grind them while they are warm, they could turn into a paste, which we don't want.
I love to use my mortar and pestle here. Itās a workout! šŖ But itās easier to get an evenly coarse texture.
However, a food processor works great as well. You just have to be careful not to over blend it.
Cooking is always easier when you have good, flavorful ingredients. When you use flavor bombs like dukkah, youāre practically cheating. But donāt worry. If you aināt cheating, you aināt trying! š
Luciano šØāš³
P.S. Happy Halloween! š»
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