Purchasing tortillas makes home-made chips a snap to prepare—we just provide the flavoring for the blank canvas. Dukkah is a traditional Egyptian condiment found on kitchen tables throughout the Middle East. It’s sprinkled on just about everything and used as a dip when mixed with yogurt. Like other cultural dishes, there are as many variations of dukkah as there are cooks who make it. This version is more global than the Egyptian original, showcasing an array of nuts and seeds from around the world.
Dukkah Chips
Makes approximately 64 pieces
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) chopped Brazil nuts
- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) chopped hazelnuts
- 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup coriander seed, toasted and lightly crushed
- 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 8 small size corn or whole wheat tortillas, approximately 8-inch in diameter
- 4 tablespoons mild olive oil
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Combine the Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, coconut, sesame seeds, coriander seeds and cumin seeds in a small mixing bowl and toss. Transfer onto a parchment lined pan and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes. You will know that the mixture is ready when it is toasted in appearance and the warm smell of spices fills the kitchen. Remove the mixture from the oven and allow it to cool completely.
- Working in small batches, pulse the cooled nut spice mixture in a spice grinder or food processer until finely ground. If the mixture is still warm when it is processed the nuts will become oily and pasty, so make sure to cool it thoroughly first. Pour the ground mixture into a bowl and repeat with the remaining toasted nuts and spices. Add salt, cinnamon and cayenne and stir together. Divide the Dukka in half, using one half now and saving the other half refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one month.
- Place 2 tortillas on each of the prepared sheet pans. Working with one tortilla at a time, brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of Dukka. Cut each tortilla into eight wedges using a pizza wheel. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, until the familiar smell of spice fills the air and the edges of each wedge have a hint of color and slight curl like an ancient parchment. Cool on a rack and serve at room temperature. Repeat with the remaining four tortillas. If there are any leftovers, store them flat in an airtight container.
*Note – If the chips need to travel, pack them tightly, keep them flat, and wrap them well. The topping will loosen if the chips get bumped or tossed, so treat them with care.
Recipe from Andrea Tutunjian and Cara Tannenbaum's upcoming cookbook "In a Nutshell: Cooking and Baking with Nuts and Seeds." (W.W. Norton; Spring 2014)
