INGREDIENTS
Carrots
1.5 kg carrots | peeled, cut into large chunks
50 g butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ tsp salt flakes
4 makrut lime leaves
Spring onion
2 spring onion, bunches, trimmed
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt, fine
Barley
½ cup barley, pearled
Vegetable oil, for deep frying
Salt, to taste
Labna
500 g yoghurt, Greek style
½ tsp sea salt flakes
1 green chilli | seeds removed
2 tsp poppy seeds
To serve
½ cup mint leaves | picked
Sea salt flakes
METHOD
Carrots
1. Place ingredients into a large gourmet casserole dish and cover twith the lid, or tightly with foil.
2. Select Fan Plus at 200°C and cook on shelf position 2 for 1 hour, or until carrots are tender. Remove cover and toss together lightly, return to oven for 10 minutes. Remove and cool.
Spring onions
1. Preheat a griddle plate or barbeque.
2. Toss together spring onions, olive oil and salt. Place on to the griddle and allow to char until lightly blackened, turn over and repeat on the other side.
3. Remove to a container or plate and cover with cling wrap, leave for 5 minutes to steam.
4. Chop into 3cm sized chunks and add to the carrots.
Barley
1. Place the barley and ¾ cup of water with a pinch of salt in an unperforated steam container and place into the steam oven and Steam at 100°C for 40 minutes. Remove, drain and cool on a baking tray.
2. Dry in the oven at 90°C for 3 hours, or until crisp.
3. Heat 3cm of vegetable oil in a small saucepan with high sides on high heat, induction setting 7.
4. Carefully add ¼ of the dry barley and cook for 30 seconds, or until puffed and still light in colour. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Repeat for the remaining barley ¼ at a time.
5. Sprinkle with the fine salt and cool.
Labna
1. Chop the green chilli to a fine mince and stir into the yoghurt with the salt and 1 tsp poppy seeds.
2. Place a clean tea towel or muslin in a sieve over a bowl and pour the yoghurt inside. Tie up the corners with an elastic band and sit in the fridge overnight.
3. It should be thick, if not hang for a few hours more then remove from the sieve and store in the fridge until needed.
To serve
1. Have the carrots at room temperature and scatter half over a large platter, top with half the spring onions, mint, barley, salt flakes, poppy seeds and some dollops of labna.
2. Repeat the next layer with the remaining ingredients.
Hints and tips
• The deep fried barely can be cooked in advance and stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.