Roasted Vegetables with Indian Five Spice Recipe

Our globe eggplants, carrots, and green beans are abundant now, so we are using them in this recipe. We added carrots for their sweetness, to balance the spiciness of this exotic and flavorful dish. You can, of course, use other veggies.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes | Cooking Time: 30 minutes | Serves: 4–6 (as a side)

Ingredients

• 1 large globe eggplant
• 2–3 medium to large carrots
• ½ lbs green beans

Indian five spice (whole or ground):

• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp black mustard seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds or ground cumin (more common)
• ½ tsp nigella seeds

Also:

• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Kosher salt to taste
• Fresh or dried chilies to taste (optional)

Notes

In the case of the Indian five spice mix and the mustard oil, these portions may not seem like a lot but with both a little goes a long way.

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to broil; place a rack on the topmost level. Grind the five spices together, including the ground cumin. Wash the green beans, drain, trim any discolored tips; place on roasting tray.
2. Wash the carrots well, peel, cut off, and discard the leaf tip then depending on the size and thickness of the carrot, cut lengthwise so that the widest part is no wider than 1 inch (see photo above); place on a roasting tray with the carrots and onions. Wash the eggplant, slice it into 1-inch thick rounds, and place it on a roasting tray with the carrots and onions.
3. We normally do not peel our eggplants before cooking, but it is a matter of personal preference.
4. Drizzle the veggies with the vegetable and mustard oil, sprinkle kosher salt and the ground Indian five spice mix over all the veggies, and mix to coat all the veggies in the oils, spices, and seasonings; set aside.
5. Place the roasting pan with the oiled and seasoned veggies on the topmost rack; roast for 8 minutes, using heat-proof tongs carefully turn over the veggies to roast the other side; roast another 5 minutes or until nicely caramelized, remove the tray from the oven and serve.

Recipe inspired by Vegetable-Powered: Farm to Table.