Avocado Toast with Dukkah
Ever since I started going to the gym and started to pay more attention to what I eat, one of my favorite foods to treat myself to is avocado toast with dukkah. It is not an actual “diet” food, since it is high in calories and, in particular, fats, but it’s perfect for a nutritious breakfast or snack that provides a burst of energy to face an intense workout session (or even a late-night Netflix marathon on the couch, but don’t tell my PT!).
Avocado delivers the perfect, creamy feel-good texture while packing in a lot of fiber, which I’m always sort of short of in my diet, and dukkah, a mix of herbs, spices, and nuts typical of Egyptian cuisine, brings along the crunch, plus vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron. I’m not going to complain about any of that!
Let’s start with avocado on toast. If you are interested in healthy cooking and you are on Instagram (do we follow each other?! We should!), your newsfeed is probably full of slices of various types of bread, with sliced ​​or crushed avocado spread on top. I resisted the temptation to try it for a while, but in the end, all those people in America and Australia who love avocado toast could not all be wrong.
So, I too became avocado-dependent! This is not necessarily a problem, because avocado is good for our health in many ways. Compared to meat and dairy products avocado has a very small amount of saturated fats, the kind we should only eat in moderation, so it’s a much better option for your toast than cheese or deli meats.
If this information has made you a believer, you can start by simply toasting a slice of whole-wheat or rye bread, even better if it is the kind with seeds, in the oven or in a very lightly oiled frying pan, and slicing (or crushing with a fork, if you prefer) half an avocado. In the meantime, prepare the dukkah.
Avocado toast with dukkah
Ingredients
- 40 g pine nuts *
- 40 g shelled pistachios *
- 40 g sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme *
- a pinch of pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Weigh the ingredients separately and let them toast in a pan on medium/high flame; given that the time to toast each ingredient is different, but we certainly also do not want to make a lot of pans dirty, toast first the pine nuts and pistachios, then combine the sesame seeds, then the coriander and cumin, and finally, the thyme.40 g pine nuts, 40 g shelled pistachios, 40 g sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons coriander seeds, 2 tablespoons cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Allow the content of the frying pan to return to room temperature then crush it with a mortar and pestle or process it in a spice grinder. You can decide if you prefer a fine powder or a grainy mix. In my opinion, a grainy mix works best for the avocado toast.
- Transfer the chopped grainy mix into a small glass jar, then add salt and pepper, close the lid, and shake.a pinch of pepper, salt to taste
- Keep your dukkah jar with all your other spices in a dry, cool place away from sunlight.
(*) There are many varieties of this spice mix; you can use other nuts instead of pistachios and pine nuts (e.g. almonds, macadamia nuts, pecans, hazelnuts), add different herbs (such as mint and marjoram), or experiment with unexpected ingredients such as lemon zest and chili pepper.
When you have found the perfect dukkah combination for your palate, you can assemble the avocado on toast: squeeze a few drops of lemon juice on the avocado, then go ahead and sprinkle it with dukkah.
Speaking of variations, after reading (and partially trying) a thousand recipes, I have collected some alternatives to dukkah to change the way you season avocado toast. Once you have tried it, you will no longer be able to do without it, and you will want to prepare it at least once a week! Here are some combinations I like.
- Poached or soft-boiled eggs (a classic!)
- Zaatar and Greek yogurt
- Tahina
- Hummus or just boiled chickpeas
- Feta cheese, goat cheese, or cream cheese
- Lemon (peel and zest) and chili
- Lox and red onion or radishes
- Chopped mint
- Fresh tomatoes and mozzarella
- Rocket and pomegranate seeds
- Tuna tartare
- Grilled chicken
- Mango and honey
- Bananas and nuts (you only live once!)
Speaking of za’atar, dukkah, just like zaatar, can be used in many recipes. In Egypt, it is traditionally served with pita bread, which is first dipped in olive oil, then in dukkah, like a delicious bruschetta, and also used to flavor salads and fish dishes.
Soon, I will try to post other recipes that include dukkah, so you will not find yourselves with a jar full of seasoning that you have no use for!
