Duqqa,[spelling 1]du'ah, do'a,[1] or dukkah (
Arabic: دُقَّةEgyptian Arabic pronunciation:[ˈdæʔʔæ], Hejazi Arabic pronunciation:[dʊgːa]) is an
Egyptian and
Middle Easterncondiment 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] 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.
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. The actual composition of the spice mix can vary from family to family,[8] vendor to vendor though there are common ingredients, such as
sesame,
coriander,
cumin, salt and
black pepper. Reference to a 19th-century text[9] lists
marjoram,
mint,
zaatar 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]
In the 2000s, duqqa began to become popular 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, where its popularity may have been due to Lebanese and Arabic immigration as well as television cooking shows such as SBS Food Network. It can be found in supermarkets, specialty stores and many farmers' markets.
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