Cut for a tender middle
There is no need to peel clean, smooth carrots if you scrub them well. Peel rough or dry skins, and trim away the stem end. Older, larger carrots can take longer to soften than small ones. Their appearance in the roasting pan matters more than the exact minute on the timer.
Keep the spice on the carrots
Ground cumin distributes well through a little oil. Toss the carrots until there are no dusty patches of spice left in the bowl, then scrape that seasoned oil onto the baking sheet with them. The oil helps the cut surfaces brown and keeps the cumin from sitting dry against the hot metal.
Leave a finger's width of space where you can. A close-packed tray traps moisture and gives you soft carrots with pale edges. If the carrots cover the pan in a thick layer, use two sheets and rotate them halfway through cooking.
Make the cold part while the oven works
The yogurt sauce takes only a minute. Stir lemon zest and a small amount of juice into thick plain yogurt, then taste it. Some yogurts are already quite tart, so you may prefer less juice. Salt makes the sauce taste like part of dinner rather than a breakfast ingredient.
Spread the yogurt on a serving plate shortly before the carrots are ready. Hot carrots will warm the sauce a little without needing another pan. If you are packing the dish for lunch, keep the two parts separate until you eat.
Finish with texture and decide on sweetness
A spoonful of honey is optional. Taste a roasted carrot first: it may be sweet enough without help. For a sharper finish, add another squeeze of lemon instead. Use parsley, mint, or a mixture of both, chopped just before scattering.
Toasted almonds add a welcome crunch, but pumpkin seeds work for a nut-free plate. Serve the carrots with beans, grilled bread, or chicken. They are also good beside plain rice, provided you spoon some of the yogurt over the rice so the plate has enough moisture.
