While macadamias are fantastic for snacking on, they’re also a magic ingredient to cook with, adding a delightful creaminess or crunch to your favourite dishes. In this episode of Make it delicious. – Flavours of Australia, Nornie Bero and Darren Robertson use this multi-talented nut in a salty, spicy macadamia dukkah, which adds texture and contrast to a sweet and tender pumpkin side.

Related story: Nornie Bero’s guide to cooking and eating macadamias

Hasselback pumpkin with macadamia dukkah recipe

SERVES 6 (as a side)

Ingredients

• 1 (1.8kg) butternut pumpkin
• ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp Massel vegetable stock powder
• 1 tbs runny honey
• Zest and juice of 1 small lemon
• 2 tbs fresh native currants (optional, see notes) or dried cranberries
• 150g marinated feta
• Small basil, parsley and mint leaves, torn, to serve

Macadamia dukkah

• 2 tbs sesame seeds
• 1 tsp each fennel, coriander and cumin seeds 
• 2 tbs dried saltbush leaves
• 90g roasted macadamias, roughly chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
2. Peel pumpkin, reserving peel. Halve pumpkin lengthways, discard seeds and place on a board, cut-side down. Cut slices 4mm apart, using wooden chopsticks as a guide on each side of pumpkin to ensure you do not cut all the way through. Place pumpkin peels on a tray and arrange pumpkin halves on top, cut-side up. Drizzle with oil and rub oil over all sides, then season with salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Next, sprinkle top with Massel vegetable stock powder. Bake for 35 minutes. 
3. Meanwhile, make the macadamia dukkah. Add sesame seeds and spices to a medium frypan over medium heat. Cook, tossing occasionally, for up to 1 minute or until toasted and very fragrant. Set aside. Toast the saltbush leaves for 1 minute. Pound the roasted macadamias with a pinch of salt flakes until a coarse crumb. Add sesame seed mix and pound to combine. Crush over toasted saltbush and stir to combine.
4. Remove pumpkin from oven and drizzle with honey. Peel lemon and add lemon peels to tray. Bake for another 10 minutes or until pumpkin is cooked and lemon peel is crispy.
5. Transfer pumpkin, pumpkin peel and lemon peel to a serving plate. Drizzle over any remaining cooking liquid from baking tray. Top with macadamia dukkah, native currants (if available) or dried cranberries, feta, a squeeze of lemon juice and herbs.

NOTES: You can make the dukkah in advance and store it in a jar for up to one week. The closest substitute for native currants is either dried cranberries (for their tartness), or fresh red currants, when seasonally available.

Watch the rest of Make it delicious. Flavours of Australia here.