RECIPE: Carrot, Vadouvan Yogurt Dip made with WET vadouvan curry paste

I have another recipe for this dip, made with dry vadouvan curry powder, which is slightly different.

This recipe, made with the more complex WET Vadouvan curry paste, has less yogurt so it has a stronger carrot flavor which I like very much, but my husband doesn't.  He prefers the milder dip made with the dry vadouvan curry powder and more yogurt.  As you can see in the photo below, this one is a much more orange color.

Original recipe: Vadouvan Scented Carrot Raita

Carrot, WET Vadouvan, and Yogurt Dip

 

Makes 3 cups

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup water
• 5-8 large carrots (about 1.5 pounds raw) peeled and sliced 1/8" thick
• water
  
• 3 T. ghee
  
• 1 ball Vadouvan WET spice mix recipe
• 1 lemon
• 3/4 cup full fat plain yogurt
• Salt and pepper.
• Chile flakes and kalonji (nigella) seeds for serving.

INSTRUCTIONS: 

For this recipe I started with 1.5 pounds of raw carrots, which became 1 pound after I washed, peeled, and removed the tops.  Rather than slice them into coins, I sliced each carrot into 2" pieces and sliced each piece into 1/8" slabs.  It seemed faster than slicing coins.

Carrots before and after slicing into slabs

Put the carrots in a medium skillet and add enough water to just barely cover them.  Heat over high heat until it boils.  Reduce the heat and simmer on medium heat until the water has almost all evaporated.  The carrots should be very soft, falling apart.

Add the ghee to the skillet and stir to coat the carrots.  Cover the pan, and cook for 5 minutes.  Uncover the pan and stir the carrots.  Cover the pan again and cook until the carrots are slightly caramelized, about another 5 minutes.  

Carrots, boiled and then caramelized

Turn off the heat and let the carrots cool slightly, then add them to a blender or a food processor fitted with a metal blade.  A blender will create a smoother puree, so I used a blender.  I had exactly 2 cups of cooked carrots.

Zest the lemon then mince the zest.  Add to the blender along with the juice of half the lemon (about 2 T.), plus 1/2 t. salt.  Puree the carrots. 

Add the yogurt, plus another pinch of salt.  If you have less than 2 cups of carrots, you may need less yogurt. Process until very smooth.  Taste and add more salt or lemon juice, if needed.  

Before serving, sprinkle with chile flakes and kalonji seeds.  We have some friends who cannot eat spicy food so I separated the chile flakes from the kalonji seeds. 

I have enjoyed this with sliced carrots, sliced fresh apples, apple chips, cassava chips, flatbreads, and hearty crackers.  It seems to go with everything!