I got this idea from a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe I saw on Saturday kitchen. I love his recipes they have soooo much flavour. Middle Eastern flavours are so delicious. My friend is Israeli and she goes home with her kids for the summer, I get so jealous of her foodie pics they make me drool but thankfully she brought home some zaatar for me. Wow wow wow the smell of the herbs are delicious so I’m adding it to everything at the moment. As it’s squash season the zaatar works so well with the savoury sweetness.

Ingredients (serves 2, double everything if using whole squash)

For the Spices

• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp zaatar or dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp poppy seeds
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder or granules
• 1/4 tsp hot paprika
• Pinch red pepper flakes

For the Squash

• Half a medium crown price squash, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 large red onion or 2 small, peeled and sliced
• 3 tbsp walnuts
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 100ml vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 1 tbsp sultanas
• 1 tbsp oil

For the Harissa Yoghurt

• 6 tbsp natural yoghurt, I used plant based
• 1 tsp red harissa paste, more if you want it spicier
• Juice of half a lemon

Directions

1. Mix all the spice ingredients together. set aside
2. Preheat oven to 200 degrees fan. Heat the oil in a frying pan add the red onion and cook for about 5 minutes. If they look like they are catching too much just add a splash of water. Next add in the squash and cook for about 8 minutes so the squash starts to brown. Add the walnuts, maple syrup and spice mix, stir to coat the squash, onions and walnuts.
3. Tip the squash mixture into an ovenproof tray. Pour around the stock and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and leave to cool slightly.
4. Put the yoghurt in a dish, stir in the harissa paste and lemon juice.
5. Serve by spooning the squash mixture between 2 serving bowls. Add dollops of the yoghurt and finish off sprinkling over the seeds and sultanas.