Vegetarian Rosh Hashanah Part III: Bukharan Braised Baby Carrots

The third dish I prepared this evening for tomorrow's festival meal is another recipe from Olive Trees and Honey.  This dish has roots in Central Asia, where, according to Rabbi Marks, Jews often enjoyed savory carrot dishes.

For this dish, onions and carrots are sauteed at high heat, and then seasoned with fresh garlic, paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin seed, tomato paste and salt, and then braised on medium low hear until tender.

The baby carrots I used were quite large, so I extended the cooking time a bit, 15 minutes versus 10 on the initial saute, and 15 minutes versus 8 during the braise.  I also used smoked paprika instead of cayenne to cut the spice quotient a bit.  While the husband and I love spicy, I don't want to torture his grandmother with the level of heat we're accustomed to eating.  And, while the recipe called for cottonseed oil, which was the oil of choice in Central Asia, I used olive oil.

I love cooking with smoked paprika and cumin seed, so if the smell of this one is any indication, we'll enjoy it tomorrow!