Description
This vibrant recipe features spicy maple roasted carrots paired with crispy seasoned chickpeas and a refreshing lemon garlic yogurt sauce. The carrots are caramelized with a sweet and spicy maple-sriracha glaze, while the chickpeas are oven-roasted to a perfect crisp with smoky paprika and garlic. Finished with a tangy yogurt sauce, fresh coriander, and toasted pistachios, this dish offers a harmonious balance of flavors and textures that works wonderfully as a hearty side or light main.
Ingredients
Scale
Carrots (choose one):
- 16 Dutch carrots, scrubbed clean and tops trimmed (keep 2cm/1″ of tops for looks)
- 600 g/1.2 lb regular carrots (5 medium), peeled, cut into quarters
Spicy Maple Sauce (for carrots):
- 3 tbsp maple syrup (or 2 1/2 tbsp honey)
- 2 tbsp sriracha
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Crispy Seasoned Chickpeas:
- 400g/14 oz can chickpeas, drained but not dried
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Extra Sauce (optional):
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tbsp sriracha
Lemon Garlic Yogurt Sauce:
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 tsp garlic, finely grated
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
Garnishes:
- 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander/cilantro leaves (sub parsley)
- 3 tbsp toasted pistachios, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C/425°F (180°C fan). Arrange oven racks 20 cm/8″ apart for optimal air circulation during roasting.
- Prepare Chickpeas and Carrots: Drain the chickpeas but keep them wet, spreading them evenly on a baking tray. Toss the carrots with the Spicy Maple Sauce until fully coated and arrange them on a separate tray.
- Start Roasting: Place both trays into the oven, positioning the carrots on the top shelf. Roast the chickpeas initially for 10 minutes to dry roast them.
- Season Chickpeas: Remove chickpeas from the oven after 10 minutes and push them to one side of the tray. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss well using a rubber spatula to evenly coat, then return to the oven.
- Finish Roasting Chickpeas and Carrots: Roast chickpeas for an additional 20–25 minutes, shaking the tray occasionally until crispy on the outside but still soft inside. Roast the carrots for a total of 30 minutes, tossing halfway through, until tender and caramelized at the edges.
- Prepare Yogurt Sauce: In a bowl, mix the plain yogurt with grated garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Set aside for at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Make Extra Sauce (Optional): Combine maple syrup and sriracha in a small bowl for a tangy drizzle to add at serving.
- Assemble the Dish: Spread the lemon garlic yogurt sauce onto plates. Pile the roasted carrots, scraping all the flavorful juices from the tray onto them. Drizzle with the extra sauce if desired. Scatter the crispy chickpeas over the top, then garnish with chopped coriander and toasted pistachios. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The spice level is moderate since roasting softens the sriracha’s heat; adjust the sriracha amount in the maple sauce or add extra sauce to increase spiciness to taste.
- Dutch carrots are chosen for their size and appearance, but regular carrots cut into quarters work well as a substitute.
- To toast pistachios, heat them in a dry skillet over medium heat until small golden patches appear, then cool and chop.
- Oven-roasted chickpeas become crispy outside but remain tender inside; they won’t stay crispy long unless roasted very long, which makes them quite hard.
- Leftovers keep well for about one day. For best texture, keep components separate and reheat carrots before serving; chickpeas lose crispiness after a couple of hours.
