Crispy carrots with spicy sauce

4 servings

30 minutes

This Italian recipe transforms ordinary carrots into a culinary masterpiece. The combination of spices—smoked paprika, cumin, and coriander—gives the carrots a rich, slightly smoky flavor, complemented by a spicy yogurt sauce with harissa and lemon zest. The crispy crust formed during roasting makes the dish's texture incredibly appetizing. This dish is perfect as a side for meat or fish and also serves as a light snack that surprises with its depth of flavor and aroma. It embodies the spirit of Mediterranean cuisine, where fresh ingredients and skillfully chosen spices make every dish a small celebration.

Energy value per serving

• Calories: 372.8
• Proteins: 9.9g
• Fats: 24g
• Carbohydrates: 30.1g

Ingredients

• Carrot: 900 g
• Salt: to taste
• Sugar: 1 tbsp
• Dry mustard: 1 tsp
• Smoked paprika: 1 tsp
• Ground cumin: 1 tsp
• Ground coriander: 1 tsp
• Vegetable oil: 4 tbsp
• Ground black pepper: to taste
• Yogurt: 1 glass
• Harissa: 1 glass
• Chopped fresh thyme: 2 tsp
• Lemon zest: 1 tsp
• Lemon: 1 pc

Cooking steps

1. Boil the carrots in a large pot of salted water for 5 minutes until tender; drain in a colander. Transfer to a bowl of ice water. Gently wipe the skin off the carrots with paper towels and remove excess moisture.

   Required ingredients:

   • Carrot: 900 g
   • Salt:  to taste

2. Mix sugar, dry mustard, paprika, cumin, and coriander in a small bowl. Pour 1 tbsp of oil into a medium bowl, add the carrots, and shake to coat the carrots with oil. Drizzle with sauce, season with salt and pepper, and mix again.

   Required ingredients:

   • Sugar: 1 tablespoon
   • Dry mustard: 1 teaspoon
   • Smoked paprika: 1 teaspoon
   • Ground cumin: 1 teaspoon
   • Ground coriander: 1 teaspoon
   • Vegetable oil: 4 tablespoons
   • Salt:  to taste
   • Ground black pepper:  to taste

3. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large (preferably cast iron) skillet over medium heat. Sauté the carrots for 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned; season with salt and pepper.

   Required ingredients:

   • Vegetable oil: 4 tablespoons
   • Carrot: 900 g
   • Salt:  to taste
   • Ground black pepper:  to taste

4. Meanwhile, transfer the yogurt to a small bowl, season with salt and pepper. Add harissa paste, 2 tsp of thyme, and ½ tsp of lemon zest, gently mix the ingredients but do not make it uniform.

   Required ingredients:

   • Yogurt: 1 glass
   • Salt:  to taste
   • Ground black pepper:  to taste
   • Harissa: 1 glass
   • Chopped fresh thyme: 2 teaspoons
   • Lemon zest: 1 teaspoon

5. Spoon the yogurt onto plates, top with carrot, sprinkle with thyme and lemon zest. Serve with a slice of lemon.

   Required ingredients:

   • Yogurt: 1 glass
   • Carrot: 900 g
   • Chopped fresh thyme: 2 teaspoons
   • Lemon zest: 1 teaspoon
   • Lemon: 1 piece