Monday, April 4, 2011

You must dip it

I can talk. Underwater, some might say. But you know those evenings when you've been out all day, talking, moving, thinking, breathing, walking and all you want to do is come home, get that pair of pants on that make you feel like you're wearing a giant pillowy blanket and chill with a book and a cup of really strong but milky tea? Well, tonight is one of those nights - so I'm going to let the photos do the talking.

dukkah1


dukkah2

Okay hold on wait I can't resist just a few more comments...

Dukkah is probably the most tasty thing you can coat a piece of soft, chewy bread in. It's like a dry dip, made up of roasted almonds, fennel, coriander and cumin seeds. It's crunchy, addictive, interesting and full of little bursts of flavour. And so easy to make.


Dukkah

1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1/2 a teaspoon cumin seeds

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

1/2 cup whole almonds

1 teaspoon salt + freshly cracked black pepper


Place almonds on a lined baking tray and bake in a pre-heated 180 degrees Celsius oven for 5-7 minutes until lightly golden. Remove tray from oven and pour the rest of the ingredients onto the tray. Roast for a further 5 minutes until all seeds are golden and crunchy. Leave to cool. Place the roasted seed and almond mixture in a food processor and whiz the mixture until the seeds have broken down but there is still quite a coarse texture. To serve, place the dukkah in a bowl, alongside a serving dish of extra virgin olive oil and thick slices of bread. Dip the bread into the olive oil and dunk into the dukkah - enjoy. Left over dukkah is great sprinkled on salads for a crunchy dressing.


greendip2


greendip1


This dip so nice to look at you might find yourself hesitating, waving your rice cracker in the air, contemplating how one could eat (thus destroying) such a vivid bowl of bright green goodness. Sweet peas and broad beans are mushed together with health enriching avocado, fresh mint and basil, and lovely, sharp lime juice. A touch of dried chilli and salty feta add bite to this wholesome number.


Green Dip


3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed

3/4 cup frozen broad beans, thawed and shells removed

1 spring onion, roughly chopped

generous handful of fresh mint and basil leaves

1 ripe avocado

1/2 a lime

1/2 a teaspoon dried chilli flakes

50g feta cheese, crumbled

1 teaspoon olive oil


Salt and pepper In a food processor whiz together the peas, broad beans, salt and pepper, olive oil, spring onion, mint and basil until roughly chopped and combined. In a separate bowl clumsily mush up the avocado with the lime juice. Mix the bean and pea mixture into the avocado, and add in the dried chilli flakes, if desired. Transfer to serving dish and finish with a sprinkling of feta cheese.

3 comments:

  1. Oh my lord. You just hit the hammer on the nail with this one! a long day in the city with on and off rain.. Boring lectures, boring tutors, boring content. Even the thought of coming home to this is so satisfying.

    Thank you, now I have something to look forward to for next tuesday :)
    ps. that dip looks so damn good, in an ideal world I'd be able to reach through the screen with my vitaweat and scoop up a generous half of that bowl.

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  2. i will make this anytime for you my love!

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  3. orrr you could make it for me :)

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