Caramelized Garlic Carrots with Spicy Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

Carrots with coriander and yogurt sauce – a great vegetarian side dish!

Ingredients:

For the carrots:
2 tablespoons salted butter
450 grams carrots, cut diagonally into 1 cm slices
Freshly ground salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

For the dressing:
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar (or coconut sugar)
1 clove garlic
1 small jalapeno pepper - leave the seeds on if you like it spicy
1/4 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper
Optional: 1-2 teaspoons water (to thin the dressing if needed)

To serve:
Freshly chopped basil, cilantro and mint
Chopped honey-roasted peanuts or cashews (about 2-3 tablespoons)
Red chili flakes

Instructions:

1. Prepare the sauce: Place ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until well combined. The sauce should be pourable but not too thick. Add a teaspoon or two of water if necessary to thin the sauce. Transfer to the refrigerator.
2. In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon of butter and place over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the carrots and salt; stir well.
3. Cover the skillet and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the carrots from burning. After 10-15 minutes, remove the lid, add the garlic, and cook uncovered for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally (until the carrots are tender).
4. When the carrots are tender, add the maple syrup or honey and cook for a few more minutes. Transfer the carrots to a plate or large shallow bowl and drizzle with a few tablespoons of the dressing. Top with chopped basil, mint, cilantro, honey-roasted peanuts or cashews, and red chili flakes, if desired. Serve warm; you can also serve this salad cold (mixed with arugula and quinoa).

Yield: 6 servings
Recipe: ambitiouskitchen.com