Fall carrots sweeten with each and every frost that racks the garden. That sugar is balanced by the spice of the sambal and brightened with the mint. The lemons will sizzle and can be eaten, rind and all. This is a good side with grilled lamb, pork or with lentils and greens for a light dinner.

The key to this dish is not overloading the carrots onto the baking sheet. They need space to allow the outside to crisp rather than steam. And hold your nerve, let them bake until dark and crisp.

The sambal sauce is available at most grocery stores next to its better-known, sister product srirachia

• 2 lbs carrots
• 1 T sambal or srirachia
• 1 lemon, sliced thinly into rounds
• ½ C almonds, toasted
• 1 bu mint, leaves picked and roughly torn

1. Heat oven to 425F
2. Scrub and then cut carrots into 2 inch sticks
3. Toss with a glug of neutral oil, sambal sauce and the lemons
4. Spread onto a baking sheet and roast until tender and crispy (about 45 min)
5. Remove from the oven and toss with almonds and mint and serve