carrot & daikon salad

mmm...carrots. one of my favorite jams. if i could, i would walk around gnawing on a carrot all the time, like bugs bunny. instead, i have picked up a more socially acceptable smoking habit.

after a nabe party, i had some leftover carrot and daikon, so i decided to make this super-easy, super-tasty salad. it's perfect for a bento, or even just a snack.

ingredients
2 medium carrots
15 cm daikon
35 mL sushi vinegar (1)
20 mL mirin (2)
15 mL soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame seeds

(1) すし酢, (2)本みりん

everything is from e-town in kosugi.

i listened to burial--untrue while making this.

let's go!
1. julienne the carrot and daikon. shredding is ok, too. peel that daikon first, btw.

2. toss the carrot and daikon in a bowl with some salt. let that sit for about 20 minutes.

3. to make the dressing, mix all three liquids together. i used the premixed sushi vinegar because i just happen to have some around, but if you don't, you can make your own. just mix 20 mL of rice vinegar (米須), 10 mL of caster (very fine) sugar, and 5 mL of salt. you could probably even go a little less on that sugar because of the sweetness of the carrot and mirin. you just want to cut that vinegar taste a bit.

4. toast the sesame seeds. you might be thinking about skipping this part, but really it just takes a minute. does bread taste like toast? no. your carrots and daikon need to sit for a little bit longer, anyway. here's how. let a small pan get hot over a high flame. throw in your sesame seeds, and keep them moving. once you hear them start to pop, remove from heat. seriously, less than a minute--don't be lazy.

5. rinse the carrot and daikon well. add the dressing and let it all sit for a couple of hours, or even better, overnight.

6. when you're ready to eat, mix in the sesame seeds.


enjoy!
oh, how did this get here? this is actually a picture of desert from the night i made this salad. why yes, those are reese's peanut butter cups. from america. oh yeah.