Name: Roasted carrots with curry leaf dukkah
Ingredients: 1kg bunch of thin carrots, trimmed to remove all but 1cm of the green tops and peeled (750g); if starting with thicker carrots, slice them in half lengthways; 2 tsp lemon juice; 320g thick Greek-style yoghurt (or labneh), to serve; salt and black pepper; 25g cashews; 25g raw (aka skinless) peanuts; 25g blanched almonds; 25g blanched hazelnuts; 1 tbsp coriander seeds; 60ml vegetable oil; 10g curry leaves; 25g shop-bought crispy fried shallots; ½ tsp chilli flakes; ¼ tsp salt

Side Vegetarian

Serves 4-6, as a side

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On holiday in Sri Lanka a few years ago, Helen got very into the little pot of dukkah mix which was often on her table in the evening. So into it was she that there soon appeared two pots each night. On the last night of her holiday, the chef – Madhura Geethanjana – scribbled the recipe down on Helen’s napkin, calling it his ‘nut crumble’. It’s such a lovely image and act of sharing – a recipe being written on a napkin, continuing its journey. Dukkah keeps well in the fridge for 5 days (or longer in the freezer), so make more than you need. It’s lovely sprinkled over all sorts of things: soups, roasted vegetables, chicken (see page 128), grilled fish, leafy salads.

Ingredients

1kg	bunch of thin carrots, trimmed to remove all but 1cm of the green tops and peeled (750g); if starting with thicker carrots, slice them in half lengthways
2 tsp	lemon juice
320g	thick Greek-style yoghurt (or labneh), to serve
	salt and black pepper
CURRY LEAF DUKKAH (a mix of any/all of the four nuts, just keep the total net weight of 100g the same)
25g	cashews
25g	raw (aka skinless) peanuts
25g	blanched almonds
25g	blanched hazelnuts
1 tbsp	coriander seeds
60ml	vegetable oil
10g	curry leaves
25g	shop-bought crispy fried shallots
½ tsp	chilli flakes
¼ tsp	salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan.
First, make the dukkah. Spread the nuts and coriander seeds on a parchment-lined baking tray and roast for 8–10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Increase the oven temperature to 220°C fan.
Put the oil into a small frying pan and place on a medium-low heat. Add the curry leaves – stand back: they will splutter! – and cook for about 30 seconds, until the leaves are crisp. Drain in a small sieve placed over a small bowl, keeping the flavoured oil. Tip the leaves out on to a plate lined with kitchen paper and set aside to cool. Once cool, set about 10 leaves aside and transfer the remainder to a food processor. Add all the roasted nuts and coriander seeds, along with the crispy fried shallots, chilli flakes and salt. Pulse to form a rough crumble and transfer to a small bowl until ready to use.
Spread the carrots out on a large parchment-lined baking tray and drizzle over 3 tablespoons of the reserved curry leaf oil. Sprinkle over ¾ teaspoon of salt and a few cracks of pepper, then drizzle over the lemon juice. Toss lightly and roast for about 30 minutes, until the carrots are cooked and slightly charred at the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside for at least 5 minutes: they want to be served just warm or at room temperature.
When ready to serve, mix the yoghurt with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and spread it over the base of a plate. Arrange the carrots on top, then sprinkle 3–4 tablespoons of the dukkah directly on top of the carrots. Scatter the reserved fried curry leaves on top, spoon over the remaining curry leaf oil and serve.