Beetroot and Yoghurt Dip with Za’atar

I love beetroot in any form - it is probably my favourite root vegetable, as it is so versatile and combines beautifully with many other ingredients. For a while, I was obsessed with finding great beetroot dip recipes. There is something about the vibrant, magenta colour of a beetroot dip that is just so appealing – it calls out to you, just asking to be scooped up with your crudités of choice, again and again and again. After several experiments, with several recipes, I have finally settled on this one, from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's beautiful book, Jerusalem -a purée of beetroot lightened with Greek yoghurt and perfumed with za'atar - as my favourite.

The secret ingredient in this dip is za'atar - a traditional Middle Eastern herb and spice blend that balances fragrant citrusy, woody and slightly nutty notes. It is traditionally a blend of sun-dried thyme, sesame seeds and dried sumac (a reddish spice with a tart, slightly lemony flavour), though some newer recipes also use oregano and, perhaps more deviantly, cumin. Za'atar is traditionally eaten with pita bread and olive oil, and also forms a deliciously savoury seasoning for grilled and roasted meats and vegetables, in salad dressings and for breads.

To make this dip, beetroot is roasted in a very hot oven until its skin is blackened and dry but the inside is tender, and this amplifies its sweet, earthy flavour in a way that other cooking techniques, such as boiling and steaming, just do not. It is then peeled and puréed with Greek yoghurt (or buffalo curd), garlic and a small red chilli, and it is amazing how well the heat of the chilli and the sharpness of the garlic combine with the sweetness of the beetroot. The za'atar really perfumes the whole concoction with its heady, herby aroma. The sweetness is still present, slightly enhanced with date or maple syrup, but the savouriness of the other ingredients tempers it to result in a tantalisingly complex mix of flavours.

I served this, alongside hummus, with pita chips as a starter for a middle eastern themed meal and it was a great success. To serve, Ottolenghi and Tamimi glam up this dip with crumbled goats' cheese, toasted hazelnuts and thin slivers of spring onion. This topping, when sprinkled generously over the dip, really takes it to another level of sophistication, both visually and in taste. It is not essential, in my book - the dip was  wonderful the next day, without the topping, but it is lovely to have, especially when entertaining. I love this dip as a starter ,or as a light lunch - or even (because I am strange and enjoy eating non-breakfasty things for the first meal of the day) as an exotic breakfast!