Cumin-Roasted Carrots + Garlic Yoghurt

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan / 425°F.

Scrub the carrots under cold water to remove any dirt on their skins, then pat them dry with a clean tea towel.

Trim both ends off the carrots, then chop into chunky pieces. We like to use the ‘roll cut’ technique, which involves slicing the carrot at a 45° angle, then rotating the carrot a quarter turn and slicing again at a 45° angle. Repeat until you’re left with lots of chunky carrot segments in various diagonal shapes.

Transfer the carrot to an oven dish, along with a drizzle of olive oil, the cumin seeds and generous pinches of salt and pepper. Give it all a good mix.

Next, slice the head off the garlic bulb to expose the cloves, then add the bulb to the tray and drizzle the exposed cloves with a small amount of olive oil. Wrap the bulb with baking paper, then add the dish to the oven and roast for 35-45 minutes or until the carrots are tender and the garlic is soft.

Meanwhile, add the pomegranate half to a bowl, cut-side facing down. Bash the top of the pomegranate with the back of a wooden spoon to loosen the seeds, then use a spoon to fetch all the seeds into the bowl. Drain the pomegranate juice into a glass or container (we love to drink this straightaway!) and discard any white bits (the pith), then leave the seeds to one side.

Next, remove the large stalks from the parsley and finely chop most of the leaves (leave a dozen or so for topping with later). Add the chopped leaves to a bowl, followed by a small drizzle of olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper, then set aside.

When the carrots and garlic are ready, carefully remove the bulb from the dish. Using a tea towel or the baking paper you used to wrap the bulb, carefully hold the bulb (it will be hot) and squeeze out the cloves onto a chopping board. Squash the soft cloves with a fork, then transfer the mashed garlic to a mixing bowl, followed by the yoghurt, lemon zest, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Stir well and - if necessary - add a splash of water to loosen.

To serve, spoon the garlic yoghurt onto a large serving plate, then top with the cumin-roasted carrots. Drizzle over the parsley oil, then top with the pomegranate seeds and remaining parsley leaves. Enjoy!