Mushroom Ragu with Spiralised Courgette and Carrot

I make this when the fridge has a half-used leek and a box of mixed mushrooms going soft at the edges, which is more often than I'd like to admit. Mushrooms are a funny ingredient. They are mostly water, and if you tip them into a hot pan they squeak, spit and then give up their liquid all at once. Keep the heat moderate and let that liquid cook off before you think about seasoning. You get a deep, meaty flavour without any meat, and the oregano and chilli flakes do the rest of the work.

Leeks are the quiet hero here. Slice them finely and cook them gently so they turn soft and sweet before the mushrooms arrive. If you rush them they catch on the bottom of the pan, and the whole sauce tastes a little bitter. Garlic goes in very thinly sliced, not minced, so it perfumes the oil without scorching.

A tip on the yoghurt: stir it in off the heat, just before the bowls go out. Yoghurt that boils can split and turn grainy, and you lose that cool, tangy contrast that makes the sauce feel lighter than it is. The same goes for the courgette and carrot. A two-minute plunge in boiling water is enough to soften the strands without turning them into mush. Drain them well, or the sauce will slide off into a puddle at the bottom of the bowl.

If you have leftover sauce, it keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for a couple of days. It is lovely spooned over a jacket potato, or stirred into a bowl of warm grains. I have also spread it on toast under a slice of melted cheese, which is a bit of a cheat but a very good one. For a fuller meal, a slice of seeded bread and a green salad sit well alongside. If you are in the mood for something cosy, Hearty Mixed Bean Chilli with Rice shows how the same mushroomy, oregano-led flavours can carry a bigger pot. On a lazy weekend, Toasted Bagels with Grilled Tomatoes and Leeks uses a similar leek and tomato base in a very different way. If you want a lighter green option for the same kind of weeknight, Pasta with Broccoli and Herb Pesto is another easy bowl to pull together.

The toasted seeds are worth the extra two minutes. They add crunch and a nutty edge that the soft mushrooms need. Toast them in a dry pan until they start to colour and smell toasty, then tip them out of the pan straight away so they do not keep cooking.