SKINNIER CARROT & CASHEW DIP, vegetarian, wallet friendly, easy

If you didn't try this ambrosial dish during the Christmas season, try it now; you will be stunned...

Skinnier Carrot, Cashew & Date Spread with Potato Foccacia 

Middle Eastern Cookbook author Bethany Kehdy's original recipe for Carrot & Cashew Moutabel - a Syrian dip with tahini but no chickpeas -  was a surprise for the blogger. 

I first had it many years ago in California and then forgot about it.  The recipe was like rediscovering my past.   

The dip is extraordinary: slightly sweet, crunchy, incredibly more-ish and with unique mind-boggling flavours.  It's also vegetarian with a vegan option, fairly wallet-friendly and easy to prepare -- godsends at this time of year.

But it is extremely rich, with masses of butter.

67goingon50 adapted the recipe to cut cholesterol and to make it a 'less than a meal, more than a snack' dish for a small household.

Cost: £2
Serves: 2 with bread and/or vegetable crudités or more as an appetiser

Ingreds:

Base    
    250gm/9 oz carrots, pref organic, roughly chopped
    
    1/4 tsp caraway seeds
    1.5 tablespoons tahini
    juice & zest of half a lemon
    

Topping
    min 15-max 25gm/min 1/2-max scant ounce butter/coconut oil/vegan butter
    22.5gm/ 3/4oz unsalted cashews
    30gm/generous 1oz finely chopped best dates*
    good pinch cinnamon
    1 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut

Serve with: pitta or flatbread, raw veg like peppers, cauliflower, celery

Method:

Base

1. Slice carrots thinly to save energy
2. Boil carrots in large amount of boiling salted water over high heat 10mins or until a knife goes through without resistance (it could take up to 20 mins); drain well 
3. Toast seeds in a dry frying pan over med heat until aromatic; cool
4. Blitz carrots, seeds & tahini in a blender 
5. Stir in lemon juice & zest 
6. Season with salt & pepper to taste
7. Pour into serving dish; use back of spoon to make a wide well in the centre
8. Spoon in topping 

Topping:

1. Melt butter in small pan over med in
2.  heat until bubbling; add cashews
3. Stir and toss cashews for 2-5 mins until nuts are golden brown: watch it like a hawk; the nuts will burn easily
4. Take off heat; stir in dates & cinnamon 
5. Sprinkle with coconut 
6. Arrange in the well of the carrot di/.,mn 

Serve with toasted pitta bread triangles or warm flatbreads plus celery, cauliflower and pepper sticks

*some greengrocers sell individual Medjool dates

Bethany Kehdy 'The Jewelled Table', Hardie Grant (£25)

Comments: 

• 'You've made carrot lovely; it's a completely unique flavour!'  Political Agent
• 'Delicious; the pepper strips go really well with it!'  Campaign Manager
• 'A revelation; such an unexpected treat.'  Retired writer

Tips:

• Organic carrots are recommended; the flavour is so much better and nowadays are well priced at a pound for 500gm.   
• see 15-minute flatbread for easy yeast & sugar free puffy bread

First courses/canapes NavBar: Recipes II (bottom of page)...

   

Please leave a Comment in the box below

DISCLAIMER: The author accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.  Any information not sourced to a second party is the copyright of the blogger.