Condiment · Pounded Spice
Dukkah (Toasted Nut & Spice Blend)
Photo: Abissada / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Its name literally means 'to pound' in Arabic, because the blend is traditionally crushed by hand in a mortar rather than ground into a fine powder.
Toasted nuts, sesame, coriander, cumin, and salt are pounded into a coarse, crumbly mix and sold loose by weight in market stalls across Upper Egypt. Bread is dipped first in olive oil, then into the dukkah, making the pairing itself the street snack.
Why it's made this way: Nubian-influenced versions from Upper Egypt lean more heavily on dried herbs, reflecting the region's own take on a blend that has seasoned Nile Valley bread since antiquity.
More from Egypt
Karkade
Koshari (Rice, Lentils & Pasta)
Ful Medames (Stewed Fava Beans)
Hawawshi (حواوشي)
Ta'ameya (Egyptian Fava Bean Falafel)
Feteer Meshaltet
Part of World of Street Food — 3248 dishes from 118 countries.
Something wrong here? Tell us in the comments below.
Photo credits.