Apricot and Fig Compote

This sweet compote of dried apricots and figs is flavored with cardamom, fennel and ginger and served with Greek yogurt.

Ingredients

• 1 piece of peeled fresh ginger, 2 inches (about 5 cm) long, thinly sliced;
• ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds;
• 3 green cardamom pods, crushed with the flat side of a knife; reserve the seeds and discard the shells;
• 2 tea bags of English Breakfast or another black tea;
• 6 oz dried apricots (about 170 g or 1 cup), halved;
• 2 oz dried black figs (about 57 g or ⅓ cup), stemmed and quartered;
• ¼ cup sugar;
• 2 cups water;
• Greek yogurt, to serve.

Preparation

1. Bring 2 cups of water, the ginger, fennel seeds and cardamom seeds to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the tea bags and remove from the heat. After 3 minutes, remove the bags with a slotted spoon and discard.
2. Add the apricots, figs and sugar. Bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer with the lid partly open for 20–25 minutes, until the fruit is tender and the liquid has become a thick syrup.
3. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serve the Greek yogurt alongside, drizzled with a little syrup.