I was so excited to get into the kitchen with my friend Rachel Simons, from Seed & Mill to cook up a recipe from her new cookbook, SESAME! To know me, is to love TAHINI – I am legit sesame-obsessed, and Rachel really helped me look at sesame in a whole new way.
We started by toasting up the sesame seeds in a dry pan and as the kitchen filled up with the smell of toasted sesame, we transferred them to a mortar and pestle where Rachel gently pressed on the seeds to crush them into the most incredible magic dust that was nutty and crunchy with an irresistible mouthfeel. Definitely my new favorite technique!
We used the same powder to create a delicious, light, umami dressing for the prettiest pile of rainbow carrot ribbons that Rachel brought from Union Square market. She shaved some scallions and chopped some carrot greens to sprinkle over the salad, and we drizzled on some Seed & Mill tahini for a fabulous finish.
So so good!
Rainbow Carrot Goma-ae Salad
Serves 6 to 8
reprinted with permission from Sesame by Rachel Simons, Ten Speed Press
⅓ cup well-toasted sesame seeds
1½ tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dashi powder (we used 1 scant teaspoon of Trader Joes umami seasoning)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon mirin
1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
½ teaspoon honey or maple syrup
¾ pound rainbow carrots, shaved with a vegetable peeler
3 or 4 scallions, sliced on the diagonal (optional)
Method:
1. In a mortar with a pestle or in a food processor, grind the sesame seeds until some of the oil has been released and the seeds are slightly crushed, but the mixture has not yet become a paste. Instead, it should look like crunchy wet sand.
2 In a medium bowl, whisk the ground sesame seeds, sesame oil, soy sauce, dashi powder, rice vinegar, water, mirin, granulated garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and the honey until well combined. Taste and add more salt, if desired. Set aside.
3 In a serving bowl, toss the dressing with the carrots until evenly coated. Top the carrots with the sliced scallions (if using) and serve immediately.
Related Recipes: