Coconut and Berries

Healthy, Vegan Recipes by Emma Potts

Middle Eastern Lentils with Roasted Cauliflower, Sweet Potatoes & Dukkah

Middle Eastern Lentils with Roasted Cauliflower, Sweet Potatoes & Dukkah

Apologies again for the irregular posting. As I mentioned last time, I’m away in Geneva this month interning so have a lot going on. I’m missing sharing recipes with you (and my kitchen of course!) but I’m having a great time here and learning lots.

Olives et al "Love a Dukkah" hamper Today I want to introduce you to Olives et al. This British company was founded by a young couple who went on an adventure through the Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa and brought back the flavours, ingredients and recipes they discovered. They very kindly sent me one of their gorgeous“Love a Dukkah” hampers, packed with goodies to try. Included in the hamper were:

Olive Oil - Egyptian Style Spiced Dukkah Aromatic Rub - Moroccan Inspired Tapenade Marocaine with Preserved Lemons- Sunshine Rosemary & Garlic Olives - Very Deli Herbed & Pitted Olives

This would make a lovely present for a fellow foodie friend.

Olives et al Dukkah

I’ll be sharing another recipe I made using one of the ingredients soon but today is all about the dukkah.

Have you tried it yet?

If you’re unfamiliar with it here’s a little info for you. “Dukkah” originates in Egypt and comes from the Arabic word “to pound”. Makes sense really since it’s made from toasted and crushed nuts, seeds and spices. Olives Et Al makes theirs from roasted almonds, hazelnuts, cumin, coriander, sesame and spices which they roast and grind themselves. It’s often served before a meal – everyone sits around dipping hunks of bread into olive oil, then into a plate of dukkah before munching.

I’ve been using dukkah in my cooking for a while- I love it sprinkled on top of a chickpea flour pancake with grilled peppers and onions, or over salad, and you might have caught my recipe for Roasted Carrot Hummus with Dukkah in the Spring edition of Fresh Vegan magazine…

Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes

When you thought vegetables simply roasted in coconut oil with s+p couldn’t get any better- add dukkah and you’ve got something even more magical!

Middle Eastern Lentils with Roasted Cauliflower, Sweet Potatoes & Dukkah

I especially adore roasted cauliflower  at the moment, and sweet potatoes of course never need any justification. For a complete meal, I served them on a bed of simple Middle Eastern lentils  and chard and sprinkled it all generously with the dukkah. It really is a wonderful ingredient to add that extra layer of flavour to a dish

Middle Eastern Lentils with Roasted Cauliflower, Sweet Potatoes & Dukkah

Middle-Eastern Lentils with Roasted Cauliflower, Sweet Potatoes & Dukkah
Serves 4
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For the vegetables
  1. 1 Small head of cauliflower, broken into florets
  2. 2 Small sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  3. 2 Tbsp Coconut oil, melted
For the lentils
  1. 1/2 Tbsp Coconut oil/ olive oil
  2. 1 Onion, diced
  3. 2 Cloves of garlic, minced
  4. 1 tsp Ground cumin
  5. 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  6. 1/2 tsp All spice
  7. 1/2 C Puy lentils (Green are also fine but watch the cooking time as they can get mushy)
  8. 1 to 1-1/2C Water
  9. 1/2 tsp Salt
  10. 1/2 Bunch swiss chard OR kale, chopped ( approx 2 C)
  11. 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  12. Pepper
  13. Dukkah to serve
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
  2. Toss the sweet potato and cauliflower in the melted coconut oil and spread in a single layer in a roasting dish.
  3. Cook for 20-30 minutes, until the vegetables are firm but tender and the cauliflower is getting nice and crisp around the edges.
  4. Meanwhile, warm the remaining coconut/olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and spice and cook for a further minute, stirring. Add the lentils and water (start with the lower amount and add more if necessary).
  5. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
  6. Add the chard/kale and salt and cook for a further 5 minutes approx, until the lentils are cooked, greens are wilted and most of the water has been absorbed. Add the lemon juice and pepper to taste. Check for seasoning.
  7. Remove the lentils to a serving dish, top with the roasted vegetables and sprinkle generously with dukkah.
  8. Serve dukkah on the side so individuals can add more to their own serving.
Coconut and Berries http://www.coconutandberries.com/
I’m sharing this recipe at the weekly link-up, Healthy Vegan Fridays.

Middle Eastern Lentils with Roasted Cauliflower, Sweet Potatoes & Dukkah

Have a browse on the Olives et al website, I’m sure you’ll find something which takes your fancy. I’ve got my eye on their new Smoky Chipotle Chili Olives and the gorgeous olive wood dishes to serve them in. As well as an impressive, award-winning range of handcrafted gourmet foods, Olives et al has delis in Sturminster Newton and Poundbury, Dorset, together with its very own café offering global cuisine (with veg options!)

How do/would you use dukkah?

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Comments

    • Thanks Heather. Definitely give dukkah a try if you’re into Middle-Eastern type flavours.

    • Exactly. I would have been happy with just the lentils and roasted veg but the dukkah tied everything together and made it a little special :)

    • Glad you’re a fan too! I’ve made my own dukkah in the past as well. It’s fun as you can customize the nuts/seeds/spices exactly to your tastes. This one from Olives et al was really good though 😀

  4. hope you are enjoying your internship - I enjoy dukkah but the tin of it that I bought years ago just never saw the light of day very often - shame! it sounds so good just sprinkled on this dinner

  5. Yum x 1000, this so sounds like my kind of dish. Totally get your obsession with roast cauliflower. I have been on a massive roast cauli/ brocc kick lately - it is fantastic mixed into a rocket/ romaine salad, and really adds something. I am always intrigued by the fact that broccoli seems to roast so much quicker than cauliflower and the florets become brown and crispy very quickly while the cauli remains plump but roasted.. Is it wrong to drool over roast veg just after breakfast???
    Hope you are having fun in Geneva - such a lovely city. If you get the chance to stay there over the summer, many locals spend their lunch hours swimming in the lake. Such a great way to refresh for the afternoon.
    Take care
    Kate

    • Thanks Kate. Glad you like the look of the recipe. You’re definitely right about brocc vs. cauli. I don’t often roast broccoli though as it’s my favourite vegetable and I could probably eat a whole head of it just steamed 😀
      I’ll have to try your suggestion for adding roast cauli to a leafy salad.

      • Hi Emma
        I am laughing in recognition. I have been known, with some frequency, to consume an entire head of broccoli of an evening, doused in flax oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and nutritional yeast. .Some people crave chocolate, I crave broccoli and other green veg. Oh dear…..

        • Mmmm, that sounds so good right now. And I’ve just had dinner. Broccoli is definitely the most craveable vegetable. I get withdrawal symptoms if I don’t have it at least once a week. (not that I don’t crave chocolate too 😉 )

    • Thank you. Dukkah is definitely worth trying. If you can’t find it then it’s also fun to make your own!

  7. I do love a bit of dukkah, but normally I just end up putting it into some kind of dip.

    Good call on the roasting cauli - I feel sorry for people who were put off cauliflower (or broccoli or sprouts for that matter) because they were given over boiled stuff as a kid. Roasting them brings out the sweetness - I like to leave it til it’s on the edge of burning for a little smokiness!

    • I hear you. Brown overcooked cruciferous veg are the worst! Roasting is the way to go- though I adore broccoli very lightly steamed so it’s still crunchy too.

    • It ‘s definitely a good salad topper. It’s a great way to make avocado toast even better too 😀

    • I think I could probably have eaten the lot on my own! It was that good 😀

    • Dukkah is a great thing to have on hand. It can really turn a simple meal into something special :)

    • Roasted cauli has been such a great discovery! Hope you try the recipe out.

  14. I would love to see photos of Geneva, I have never been :) I heard it is a very beautiful city! I’ve heard and read about these Dukkah products before, I think it’s via Sharon’s blog! Great idea using the Dukkah for your yummy lentil dish! Me too, I love roasted cauliflower, so good with fresh lemon juice, good salt and just nice olive oil! :)

    • Dukkah is fairly widely available these days. Look in the spice section or with the “exotic ingredients”in supermarkets or independent stores. You can also make your own if all else fails though! It’s not hard to make- it’s just toasted nuts and spices.

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