Carrots 3 ways with DONA Masala Chai

Recipe by Chef Carla

Roasted Carrots with DONA Masala Chai

Serves two to four

Ingredients:

1 pound carrots, any color will work, in 1/2-inch half-moon pieces, rough dice also works*

1 Tbsp. butter or preferred fat*

1 Tbsp. avocado oil or preferred fat*

2 Tbsp. DONA Masala Chai

1/8 tsp. sea salt

3–4 cranks of fresh ground pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  
2. Place all ingredients on a rimmed baking sheet lined lined with parchment paper.*
3. Cook for 35–45 minutes until carrots are cooked through and have slightly brown edges. The butter will have a brown color and smell nutty.

*Chef Carla’s Notes:

1. You can cut the carrots how you like. To get half moons, slice the carrots in half and then cut them in 1/2-inch slices. If you have smaller carrots, you can also cut in half and have large carrots halves. These will take longer to roast.
2. Fat is really up to you. Avocado oil has a really high smoke point. You can cook up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. By adding the butter, it lowers the smoke point a bit, but you get these amazing brown butter flavor. Play with the fats and see what works for you.
3. I use parchment paper because I don’t want to clean up. You can cook directly on the cookie sheet too.

Roasted Carrot Soup with DONA Masala Chai

Serves two to four

Ingredients:

1 pound roasted carrots with DONA Masala Chai recipe, cooked

1–2.5 cups of chicken or vegetable stock, depending on the consistency you like*

1/8 tsp. of salt; taste before adding*

3–4 cranks of freshly ground pepper; taste before adding*

Instructions:

1. In a blender or food processor, add the carrots and 1 cup of stock, and blend.
2. Add additional stock by 1/4 cup until you achieve the consistency you like.
3. Heat in a saucepan until warm.
4. Top with garnishes of choice.
5. Store up to three days in the fridge.

*Chef Carla’s Notes:

1. You can make a puree, kind of like a mashed potato consistency, that would be a great side dish or you can go for a full-on soup and add more liquid. If you make a puree, it would be amazing served alongside a braise, like short ribs.
2. Some store-bought stocks are saltier than others. Make sure you taste before you add more salt or pepper.

 DONA Masala Chai Spiced Vinaigrette

Serves two to four

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. DONA Masala Chai

1 tsp. honey

1 tsp. Dijon mustard or whole grain mustard  

1/4 cup olive oil

1/8 tsp sea salt

2–3 grinds freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

1. Add apple cider vinegar, DONA Masala Chai, honey, and mustard to a medium bowl.
2. Drizzle olive oil into the vinegar mixture while whisking to create an emulsion (brings them together). Season with salt and pepper.  
3. Store in a mason jar with a lid or glass-lock container. Dressing lasts up to one week in the fridge.

*Chef Carla’s Notes:

1. The difference between Dijon and whole grain mustard is texture. If you want a creamier dressing, use Dijon. If you want the crunchy texture from the mustard seeds, use whole grain.   
2. Depending on how much acid you like, or how vinegary you want your dressing to taste, you can add more or less olive oil. I love a really acidic dressing, so I use less olive oil. The traditional ratio is three parts olive oil to one part vinegar.

What to Dress: This goes well with all salads, like kale or spinach, and with bitter greens, like radicchio, endive, or arugula. It’s also a great match for carrot and beet salads—the dressing’s tangy brightness wakes up the earthiness of the beets and plays off their sweetness. Cheeses like goat cheese and Parmesan also go well.