Middle Eastern Egg Salad

Dukkah is an Egyptian and Middle Eastern condiment consisting of a mixture of herbs, nuts, and spices. You can find it in most of the big supermarkets these days but you can easily make your own. For this recipe, I used a small handful of walnuts (you can use whatever nuts you like) bashed to a fine powder and then mixed with 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp ground cumin and a big pinch of salt.

Pomegranates are bang in season at the moment and I think they get a bit neglected because people worry that they're a faff to prepare... The truth is, if you give them a good bash, the seeds just tumble out like little jewels bursting with flavour.

Middle Eastern Egg Salad

Serves 2

2 tbsp dukkah

250g pack of mixed cooked grains

230g jar roasted peppers

200g baby spinach

4 large eggs

½ pomegranate

2 heaped tbsp yoghurt

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put a large pan of salted water on to simmer. 

Meanwhile, toast the dukkah in a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat for 2 minutes then tip in the grains. Drain and finely chop the peppers then add to the pan. Cook and stir for 5 minutes, season then divide between plates.

Return the pan to the heat and quickly wilt the spinach. Season well with salt and pepper and divide over the grains.

In the meantime, crack each egg into the simmering water in one fluid movement and poach for 3 minutes. Squeeze a little pomegranate juice into a bowl and stir through the yoghurt. Bash the pomegranate half with the back of a spoon so the seeds fall out.

Drain the eggs on kitchen paper then place on top of the spinach and season with a little salt and pepper. Spoon over the pomegranate yoghurt then scatter with the pomegranate seeds.