Roasted squash houmous

Just as there’s no universal curry powder, nor is there a universal ras el hanout. It is Arabic for ‘head of the shop’ and is traditionally a blend of the best spices a merchant has to offer. Combined with chickpeas, roasted squash and tahini, and served with pitta, it makes a lovely dip to accompany drinks or, with a salad, a nice light lunch.

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Serves 6-8

Vegetarian

Vegan

Dairy-free

Ingredients

For the houmous:

1 butternut squash, about 850g, peeled, deseeded and cubed
2 garlic cloves, bashed
3cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
Olive oil
1 tbsp tahini
1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Juice of ½ lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Warmed or griddled pitta bread or flatbread, to serve

For the ras el hanout spice blend:

1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp cloves
1 tbsp coriander seeds
½ tbsp fenugreek seeds
½ tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp mustard seeds
½ tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp paprika

Cooking instructions

First make the spice blend. Break the cinnamon stick into pieces. Place in a dry pan with the cloves and seeds, and toast over a medium heat for about 1 minute until aromatic and the seeds are popping (shake the spices in the pan as you heat them to prevent them from burning).
Once toasted, remove from the heat, and add the paprika. Place in a spice grinder, blender or mortar and grind until the mixture is a powder – sift it if necessary. This spice blend will keep for up to 3 months if stored in an airtight container.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C fan/Gas 4.
Make the houmous. In a large bowl mix the cubed squash, garlic cloves and ginger with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the spice mix. Season with salt and pepper and scatter in a single layer in a roasting tray. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes until tender all the way through.
Once the squash is soft, add the contents of the tray to a blender, discarding the garlic skins. Add the tahini, chickpeas and a squeeze of lemon juice along with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary – you might need some extra lemon juice.
Transfer the houmous to a bowl and sprinkle with a little of the spice mix. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with warmed or griddled pitta bread on the side.

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