Roasted Carrot Fries Recipe

Comparing carrots to potatoes is like weighing the differences between apples and orangestheyre both good in their own right. No matter which root you root for, there will be plenty of earthy goodness to savor. The secret to these carrot fries is patience. They need to be roasted for a long timeup to an hourto get the texture just right. As they roast, carrots move through a mushy stage. If your carrots are mushy, youre not roasting them long enough. Roasting beyond the mushy zone imparts a pleasant chewiness with deep caramelization and light crisping at the edges. Theyre worth the wait. The one downside is that, because the carrots lose a lot of volume as they roast, it takes a lot of carrots to make one large serving of these fries. On the other hand, there's no better way to eat a whole bag of carrots at one meal. You really get your veggies inThis recipe calls for garam masala, a spice blend typically made from a blend of cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, fennel, mace, and dried chilies. It's great stuff. It has a woody spiciness that compliments the sweetness of the carrots. These fries go superbly with a lamb burger, a whole roasted fish, or just as an appetizer with a dipping sauce like the easy spiced garlicky mayo included in this recipe. Its so simple and easy to vary this dish. If you dont have or dont like garam masala, dont worry. These carrot fries are delicious when seasoned simply with sea salt. Fresh or dried herbs, such as oregano, marjoram, thyme, savory and mint are excellent as well. And after you try carrots, this same recipe can also be made with parsnips.