If there is just one thing you ever take away from this blog of mine, please let it be the knowledge of how to perfectly roast vegetables. I’m not kidding. I used to HATE eating vegetables, until I discovered that roasting them brought out all kinds of flavors you never knew were in those damn things!

Also, Please note that roasting vegetables doesn’t just mean baking them. There are subtle but rewarding techniques to help you achieve the most delicious veggies you have ever eaten!

Let’s start with the basics

  1. Roasting = cooking vegetables at a high heat in the oven (400 degrees Fahrenheit)
  2. Vegetables should be generously tossed in good quality oil of your choice, and salt & peppered
  3. Keeping your vegetables spaced and in a single layer on a baking sheet is KEY. Piling them on top of each other will just steam your veggies, not ROAST them
  4. Most seasonings should be added once the veggies are out of the oven or else they will burn in the high heat (i.e. garlic powder, cayenne pepper etc)
  5. Don’t be afraid of burnt edges on your veggies! As your veggies start to caramelize and brown they develop such a DELICIOUS flavor. Don’t let a little color on your veggies scare you!
  6. Season your roasted veggies once they are cooked and while they are still hot! You can add anything you like, lemon pepper, cajun seasoning or just a dash of chili powder and cumin!

Well now that we’ve got that all sorted out, these pita pockets are a great way to get your veggies in ! I skip the pita and just eat a giant bowl of these veggies with some hummus and salad  for a quick but satisfying dinner. They also make a great side dish to meat or fish!

Variations:

  1. Don’t want to go through the trouble for the cucumber tarragon raita? Just mix the yogurt with the chili garlic paste (thetcha chutney) and you’ll still have a delicious crave worthy but healthy sauce even without all of the other ingredients.
  2.  Change out any of the vegetables! This is a great way to get rid of all the stuff in your fridge. I think next time I will definitely add some tomatoes and broccoli to my roasting pan!

Comment below  if you have questions! As always, please do share your photos by tagging @thechutneylife 🙂

Happy Eating 🙂

 

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Tandoori Veggie Pita Pockets w/ Cucumber Tarragon Raita

Prep

Cook

Total

Yield 4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup red onion medium diced
  • 1 cup red bell pepper medium diced
  • 1 jalapeno medium diced
  • 2 cups eggplant diced
  • 2 cups cauliflower florets (sliced thin)
  • 1 cup zucchini medium diced
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 1.5 tbsp tandoori masala
  • 1 tbsp curry powder

Tarragon Cucumber Raita

Combine the following ingredients together in a bowl and let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.

  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1/2 cup shredded cucumber 
  • 1 tsp chili garlic chutney (Prakash's Thetcha chutney) or Squeeze of Siracha
  • 1 tbsp finely minced tarragon
  • pinch of ground cumin powder

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Toss vegetables with olive oil, salt, pepper and lay evenly on a roasting pan so they are in a single layer (I used multiple pans). Place the peppers, zucchini and eggplant together in one tray, and use separate tray for cauliflower as their cooking times are different.
  3. Roast vegetables for about 25-40 minutes or until the edges have crisped and the veggies are fork tender.
  4. Remove from oven and immediately toss with tandoori masala and curry powder.
  5. Fill pita pockets with the roasted veggies, and drizzle with the raita!

Note: Adjust the seasonings based on how potent you like your curry powder and tandoori masala to be. Start with small amounts and keep adjusting the amount until you are happy!

Note: You can add any veggies you like, this is a great way to clean out your fridge! Additionally you can add chickpeas, or hummus to the pita. The veggies and the raita can both be made ahead of time.

These veggies are also a great side dish, or a snack piled on top of a scoop of hummus!!