Duqqa

For the Buddhist concept, see Duḥkha.

Duqqa, dukka,^{[spelling 1]} du'ah, do'a,^[1] or dukkah (Arabic: دُقَّة, romanized: duqqa, Egyptian Arabic pronunciation: [ˈdæʔʔæ], Hejazi Arabic pronunciation: [dʊgga]) is an Egyptian and Middle Eastern condiment consisting of a mixture of herbs, nuts (usually hazelnut), and spices. It is typically used as a dip with bread^[2] or fresh vegetables for an hors d'œuvre.^[3]

Duqqa

Type	Dip
Course	Side dish or hors d'œuvre
Place of origin	Egypt
Region or state	Egypt and Middle East
Main ingredients	Herbs, nuts (usually hazelnut), spices
Media: Duqqa

Pre-made versions of duqqa can be bought in the spice markets of Cairo, where they are sold in paper cones, with the simplest version being crushed mint, salt, and pepper.^[4] The packaged variety that is found in markets is composed of parched wheat flour mixed with cumin and caraway.^[5] In the Hejaz region, it has been part of the regional cuisine for decades.^{[citation needed]}

Etymology

The word is derived from the Arabic for 'to pound'^[6][7] since the mixture of spices and nuts is pounded together after being dry-roasted to a texture that is neither powdered nor paste-like.

Ingredients

The actual composition of the spice mix can vary among families^[8] and vendors, though there are common ingredients such as sesame, coriander, cumin, salt and black pepper. Reference to a 19th-century text^[9] lists marjoram, mint, za'atar and chickpeas as further ingredients that can be used in the mixture. A report from 1978^[10][11] indicates that even further ingredients can be used, such as nigella, millet flour and dried cheese. Some modern variants include pine nuts,^[12] pumpkin seeds^[13] or sunflower seeds.^[14] Gazan duqqa typically contains dill seeds and chile flakes, both common ingredients in that region.^[15]

Internationally

In the 2000s, duqqa became known in some countries outside Egypt. In the United States it gained exposure through such TV shows as Top Chef, Chopped and Iron Chef America. In Australia, several companies began to make it in a variety of flavours; its popularity may have been due to Lebanese and Arabic immigration as well as television cooking shows such as those aired on SBS Food Network.

See also

• Food portal

• List of Middle Eastern dishes
• List of African dishes
• Charoset

Notes

1. Also spelled: dakka, dukkah, dukka