Spicy roasted autumn veg with Za’atar yoghurt
Roasted Autumn Vegetables
Ingredients
Homemade vegetable spice
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano or mixed herbs
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Roasted vegetables
- 2 medium carrots peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 medium beetroot peeled and cut into wedges
- 200 g pumpkin cubed
- 1 medium sweet potato cubed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons homemade vegetable spice
- 2 teaspoons harissa paste bought
- Salt and black pepper if needed
Spicy feta yoghurt
- 1 cup plain yoghurt
- 100 g feta cheese
- Lemon zest
- 1 small garlic clove crushed
- ½ –1 teaspoon chilli flakes or chilli paste
- 1 teaspoon homemade vegetable spice
- Black pepper to taste
Garnish
- ⅓ cup pomegranate arils
- 1 –2 teaspoons homemade vegetable spice
- A light drizzle of olive oil
- Lemon Zest
- Fresh herbs optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Make the vegetable spice: place the sesame seeds and spices in a dry frying pan over low to medium heat. Toast for 1 - 2 minutes, stirring continuously, until lightly golden and fragrant. Dried herbs burn easily, so avoid cooking them directly over the heat.
- Place the carrots, beetroot, pumpkin and sweet potato on a large roasting tray.
- Add the olive oil and 1- 2 teaspoons of the vegetable spice. Toss until the vegetables are evenly coated.
- Roast for 35 - 45 minutes, turning halfway through, until tender and caramelised around the edges.
- Meanwhile, prepare the spicy feta yoghurt. Blend together the yoghurt, feta, lemon juice, garlic, chilli and 1 teaspoon of the vegetable spice until creamy. Season with black pepper.
- Spread the spicy feta yoghurt generously over the base of a serving platter.
- Arrange the warm roasted vegetables over the yoghurt. Garnish with pomegranate arils, an extra sprinkle of vegetable spice and a light drizzle of olive oil.
- Store any remaining vegetable spice in a clean, airtight container and reserve it for later. Use it to season roasted vegetables, chicken, fish, eggs, salads or yoghurt-based dips.