Although I am pretty new to the world of dukkah, the thought of a crunchy roasted nut mixture blended with spice and herbs is certainly worth my attention. Dukkah is an Egyptian blend of crushed roasted nuts, spice and sometimes herbs and is most often eaten with bread dunked in olive oil. It didn’t take long for my mind to wander over to the meat section though, and imagine crunchy Dukkah Crusted Pork Cutlets. Quite addictive with their crunchy nutty coating and particularly delicious with a curried mayonnaise.
Easy to put together for a weeknight meal, especially if the dukkah is made up in advance. I chose to do a cutlet rather than a thicker cut of meat as the nuts tend to burn easily. The cutlets cook quickly so the nuts are less likely to burn, plus there’s a great ratio of crunchy coating to meat. I used a handful of panko breadcrumbs in the coating even though they are not normally found in traditional dukkah. The addition of a small amount of breadcrumbs to the nut mixture really helps the coating adhere to the cutlet. Resist the urge to crank the heat when pan frying these, the nuts will burn before you know it. Medium low heat is what you’re after. They’ll appear not to be cooking at all, but after a few minutes the nuts will start to turn a lovely burnished gold and the pork will just be starting to cook around the edges. Flip, and a few minutes later they’re ready for the table.
Feel free to experiment with your dukkah, using different nuts and/or spices. The ones used in Dukkah Crusted Pork Cutlets are commonly used but my own variation of sorts. I really enjoyed the mint in the dukkah coating and the fresh mint in the curried mayonnaise as it was fresh, bright and a great match for the cutlets. Enjoy!
Recipe Source:Â Compelled To Cook
- 1 cup pine nuts
- 1 cup cashews
- 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 tsp dried mint
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1 1/2 pound pork tenderloin
- 2 large eggs
- as needed canola oil
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp fresh mint chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 3/4 tsp medium curry powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- pinch black pepper
- In a small bowl whisk together all ingredients and allow to rest in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to blend flavours.
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Roast pine nuts and cashews in a single layer on a baking sheet for 10-12 minutes, turning half way through. Allow to cool completely before proceeding.
- Once nuts are cool pulse in a food processor until broken down to small bits. Be careful not to over process or nuts will turn to a paste. Add sesame seeds, panko and remaining spices. Pulse 2-3 times to combine. Set aside.
- Cut pork tenderloin into 1/2" thick slices. Using a meat mallet, pound each slice between pieces of plastic wrap into a cutlet no more than 1/4" thick. Season both sides of cutlets with salt and pepper.
- Whisk eggs together in a shallow bowl and place dukkah in a separate shallow bowl. Dunk one cutlet into egg bath and then into dukkah mixture, pressing slightly to coat both sides. Arrange pre coated cutlets on a parchment lined baking sheet. When all cutlets are coated, heat 1 tbsp canola oil in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add 4-5 cutlets to the pan cooking approximately 4 minutes per side, adjusting heat lower if necessary as the nuts burn easily. Remove cooked cutlets from pan and wipe out any stray bits with a paper towel. Repeat with more oil and cutlets. Keep cooked cutlets warm in a low oven. Serve immediately with Yogurt Mint Sauce.
Resist the urge to turn up the heat when cooking the cutlets. Â The nuts will burn very easily! Â A low-medium temperature is best even though the cutlets will not sizzle when you put them in the pan. Â After a few minutes the nuts will turn golden and they are ready to flip.
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