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Sweet, delicately spiced and addictively aromatic, this simple traybake recipe is a boon for mix and match vegetables you might have handy in your fridge and don’t want to waste.
I was inspired by Labra Torkari, a Bengali vegetable sauté that is the perfect bedfellow to Khichri. My dad gave me his method and I tweaked it so I could work while it did its thing in the oven.
Importantly, try and include one green, a sweet squash or root vegetable, aubergine and potato. Cauliflower, carrots and peas also work well.
The Panch Phoron is a classic Bengali spice mix comprising nigella seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds and brown mustard seeds. You can use an equal parts combination of whichever ones you have handy. I ate this straight out of the serving dish and expect the same of you.
Mustard, five spice and roasted cumin vegetable tray bake
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 250gm Butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- Half a large aubergine, cubed
- 1 green pepper, deseeded and cubed
- 1.5 tsp Panch Phoron or five-spice
- 3 tbsp mustard oil (or vegetable oil with 2 tsp mustard powder)
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- Half tsp turmeric
- 1 green chilli (optional)
- Half tsp cumin seeds
- Salt to taste
Method
Line a baking tray large enough to hold all the vegetables in a single layer. Bring the oven to preheat at 200C (180C for fan assisted).
Place all the ingredients bar the cumin in a mixing bowl and toss together.
Tip the vegetables into the lined tray and pop in the oven for 40 minutes stirring once in between. Dry roast the cumin seeds on a medium heat and powder finely while they are cooking.
The vegetables should be soft and squidgy when done, perfect for mashing into rice or tucking into flatbread. Sprinkle the ground cumin to finish.
You can find Mallika Basu‘s ‘Simply Spiced’ recipes here and follow her on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
