HOMEMADE DUKKAH SALAD with ROASTED TOMATOES & BUTTER BEANS

I have wanted to make my own homemade dukkah for 2 years, ever since I first sampled this Middle Eastern nut & spice blend in February 2010 at a Harvest Festival in Hanging Rock, Victoria. However, something always kept me from making my own batch and instead I have been guilty of buying it at markets from time to time. Today I woke up with newfound inspiration- I was going to create my very own dukkah blend and just use whatever nuts/spices/seeds were in my pantry. Turns out, it is very easy to make dukkah and only takes a few minutes. You can use hazelnuts, cashews or walnuts as the nut base if you do not have or like almonds, and you can use any type of seed you have on hand, such as cumin seeds, fennel seeds, sesame seeds etc. I would highly recommend using ground sumac, sea salt and ground peppercorns, as they have a substantial influence on the taste. Dukkah is traditionally used for dipping bread with olive oil, however it is now getting growing respect as a topping for salads, a marinade for meat & fish and as an addition to steamed and raw vegetables. I tossed my dukkah with a fresh salad & beans for Day 2 of the 7 days of Salad. 

INGREDIENTS

Dukkah

• 1/2 heaped cup almonds
• 1/4 cup white sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons ground sumac
• 1/2 tablespoon grinded black peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes 

Salad 

• 200g cherry tomatoes
• 2 generous handfuls of green oak lettuce (or any type of lettuce), washed & drained 
• 1 x 400g tin butter / cannellini beans, washed & drained 
• A sprinkle of dried basil, sea salt & pepper
• 11/2 teaspoons coconut oil 
• 1 small ripe avocado, cut into small pieces 
• 3 tablespoons dukkah

COOKING 

1. Make dukkah by preheating a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees celsius. Line a baking tray with baking paper and evenly spread almonds. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, then remove (keeping oven turned on) and place in a food processor along with the rest of the dukkah ingredients. Process on high for just a few seconds until all ingredients are mixed and almonds are broken down to little pieces. 

2. Toss cherry tomatoes, basil, sea salt, pepper and coconut oil in a small bowl and place on prepared baking tray (can use the same one as you did for the almonds). Roast in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until tomatoes are tender and start to collapse. Remove from heat. Place tomatoes in a large serving bowl with lettuce, avocado and butter beans. Sprinkle dukkah on top and toss well to combine. Drizzle some red wine vinegar on top if desired. 

Serves / 4 as a side salad, 2-3 as a main 

Total Preparation time / 10-12 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 18-19 minutes 

x Emily