Well, this has all been very interesting, but NO FUN!!
When we last left our story, Q had laughed herself into a pretzel, <A> was wandering around Alexandria worrying that she'd been locked out of the library, the caped one was contemplating how he could make beer in his Ketel, and Bond was ... Hey, where IS Mr. Bond? Is that him over there in the corner? Could it be?! He's normally so suave, so debonair, so well-turned-out, and that guy is, well,
seedy!
Do'a or Dukkah from
The New Book of Middle Eastern Food by Claudia Roden
Makes 4 cups
This dearly loved Egyptian specialty is a loose mixture of nuts and spices in a dry, crushed, but not powdered form, usually eaten with bread dipped in olive oil. In Egypt it is served at breakfast or as an appetizer. It is a very personal favorite and individual mixture which varies from one family to another. On a recent visit to Australia I was amazed to find that my mother's recipe had made it fashionable there. Wineries were inspired to produce their own adaptations of "Aussie
dukkah" with locally grown seeds, different spices, and even ground chili pepper and now sell it in elegant packages, while restaurants put some out on little plates for people to dip in.
It will keep for months stored in a jar. To serve, pour a little olive oil on small sliced of breead and sprinkle generously with the mixture. Or provide Arab bread for people to tear pieces and dip into bowls of olive oil and
do'a.
1 cup sesame seeds
1 3/4 cups coriander seeds
2/3 cup blanched (skinned) hazelnuts
1/2 cup cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper (optional)
Put each variety of seeds and nuts on a separate tray or shallow oven dish and roast them all in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 10 - 20 minutes, untill they just begin to color and give off a slight aroma. As they take different times, you must keep an eye on them so that they do not become too brown, and take each out as it is ready. Alternatively, you can toast them in a large dry frying pan, stirring constantlyt. Put them together in the food processor with salt and pepper and grind them until they are finely crushed but not pulverized. Be careful not to overblend, or the oil from the too finely ground seeds and nuts will form a paste;
dukkah should be a crushed dry mixture, not a paste. Taste and add salt if desirable.
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Personally, I like it with a LOT of salt and pepper.
