Here’s something you should know about me. I don’t really like carrots. Not raw ones anyway.
Here’s something else I should tell you. I despise ginger. Especially fresh ginger.
One more thing. I love carrot-ginger dressing. Seriously love it. Always have.
I first tasted this dressing, like many people did, at a local Japanese restaurant. I’m pretty sure the house salad came with the entree. Oddly enough, I remember nothing about the meal but the “free” salad.
Maybe that’s because my mother is an amazing cook, and has an even better palate. She has this magical way of tasting something at a restaurant, closing her eyes and tasting all of the components, then going home and recreating it. My mother made this dressing all the time when I was a kid. And recently I saw this at another table in a restaurant (admit it. You totally check out what everyone else is eating, right?) and thought about how I should seriously make it myself.
Sadly, my mother doesn’t believe in exact recipes, so I turned to the handy dandy Internet. This dressing came out absolutely perfect. It was everything I remembered, and more. If there’s a better way to eat lettuce, I haven’t encountered it.
One more thing- white miso paste isn’t exactly a pantry staple, but seriously, it’s completely worth purchasing it for this dressing. Seriously.
Carrot Ginger Salad Dressing
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Ingredients:
1 large carrot, peeled and cut in chunks
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
1 medium shallot or 2 small shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 Tablespoons white miso paste
1/4 cup canola oil
2 Tablespoons water
Instructions:
Place carrot, ginger and shallot in food processor and process until finely chopped.Scrape down the sides and add the rice vinegar, miso paste and sesame oil and process. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the oil and water.
Serve over lettuce and vegetables of your choice.
Enjoy!
Remember how I promised you folks diet food? Well here you go! Make this one. Thank me later. Hope y’all are doing well! -Miriam
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