Serving size: Serves 10 or more
Cuisine type: Middle Eastern, Modern Australian
Cooking time: Less than 30 minutes
Favourite flavours: Condiment

INGREDIENTS

Dukkah
1 cup hazelnuts
¾ cup blanched almonds
½ cup pepitas
½3 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
1½ teaspoons salt

Fennel, coriander and thyme salt
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
3 teaspoons dried chilli flakes
3 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 cup coarse rock salt
1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves

METHOD

,b>Dukkah
To make the dukkah, lightly toast the hazelnuts in a frying pan until they are fragrant and their skins start to split. Tip into a clean tea towel and rub to remove their skins, place in pestle and mortar or food processor. Toast almonds, pepitas and sunflower seeds in the same frying pan until fragrant and starting to lightly brown; add to hazelnuts.

In the same frying pan, toast the cumin, coriander and peppercorns until just fragrant. Add to the toasted nuts and seeds. Grind with the pestle and mortar or pulse chop until all nuts are ground coarsely resembling breadcrumbs in texture. The mixture should be crumbly – do not over-grind or it will become oily.

Divide dukkah among small jam jars and seal tightly.

To use: Place dukkah in a small bowl with a bowl of delicious olive oil alongside. Dip small chunks of crusty bread into the olive oil and then in the dukkah for a before dinner snack. Alternatively use to coat one side of a piece of fish, chicken or lamb before grilling or barbequeing.

Research: Traditionally Dukkah is eaten by dipping fresh pita bread first into olive oil and then into the nut mixture. Dukkah is versatile seasoning and can also be sprinkled on salads or vegetables. It can also be used as a crust or breading for foods like lamb, prawns, fish or chicken.

Fennel, coriander and thyme salt

Place fennel, coriander, chilli and peppercorns in a small frying pan. Dry-fry until seeds and spices are starting to smell fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and combine with salt. Divide among small salt grinders and wrap as gifts.

To use: The salt mix can be used to season meats or fish before or after cooking. It is great to take camping as you have salt and seasoning in one container and can add as much or little as you wish. Dry-roasting the spices before popping in the grinder enhances their flavour and means you will get the best out of them in the spice blend.