Spiced carrots with yogurt

Method

1. Combine the coriander and cumin seeds in a small pan, set the pan over a low-medium heat and cook for 5 minutes, shaking and tossing often, or until the spices are fragrant and lightly smoking. Transfer to a bowl or plate to cool slightly, then grind to a coarse powder in a pestle and mortar. Add the cardamom seeds and pound to a fine powder. 
2. Starting at the tapered end of each carrot, cut a piece on the diagonal that’s about 2.5cm long, roll the carrot a quarter turn, then cut another piece at the same angle, and so on.
3. Heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a medium pan (wide enough to hold the carrots snugly in more or less one layer) over a high heat until lightly smoking. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until it turns
4. golden at the edges. Add the carrots, chilli, ground spices and salt to the pan, then have a good old stir. Cover the pan with a lid, lower the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom occasionally, until the spices begin to catch on the base of the pan.
5. Add 100ml water, stir, then cover the pan again. Cook for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the carrots are fully tender but not mushy. After around 10 minutes and occasionally thereafter, roughly stir for 30 seconds or so using a sturdy whisk or wooden spoon – you don’t want to smash the carrot pieces but just knock off some of the softened points (see April’s introduction). If, along the way, the carrots that end up stuck to the bottom of the pan start to turn dark brown, reduce the heat a little.
6. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Roughly chop the mint leaves, then stir into the pan along with 1 tbsp of the Greek yogurt, the orange blossom water and most of the coriander. Taste and season with extra sea salt as needed.
7. Transfer the carrot mixture to a large serving platter or bowl. Top with the remaining Greek yogurt in little dollops, then drizzle with extra oil and scatter over the rest of the coriander. Serve straightaway.