HARD-BOILED EGGS WITH SESAME DUKKAH

I think hard-boiled eggs make the perfect picnic food – nutritious, easy to carry and conveniently packaged in their own wrapper. They do benefit, however, from something to gee them up in the taste department. A little salt and pepper is good, but this little Egyptian nutty spice mix, called dukkah, will lift your egg to the next level. You can make it in moments, much less time than it takes to boil the eggs, and it will keep in a sealed tub for a good few weeks.

Ingredients Makes enough for 4 eggs

1 heaped tsp cumin seeds 1 heaped tsp coriander seeds 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional) 2 tbsp flaked almonds 1 tbsp sesame seeds pinch of sea salt flakes and freshly-ground black pepper

1. Add the cumin, coriander and chilli (if using) to a small, dry frying pan and set over a medium heat. Toast for a minute or so until they smell fragrant then tip into a spice mill or pestle and mortar and grind. Tip into a small bowl. 2. Add the almonds and sesame seeds to the pan and toast them for a minute or so. Tip on to a board and chop finely before adding to the spices along with a pinch of sea salt flakes and a good grind of black pepper. Stir well to mix, then add heaped teaspoons of your mixture to squares of foil and wrap them tightly, allowing one teaspoon of dukkah per egg. Pack into you lunchbox alongside your ready-cooked egg.