Sides and Salads Recipes - Carrots in Sweet Vinegar Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 large carrots, peeled

• 5ml/1 tsp salt

• 30ml/2 tbsp sesame seeds

For the marinade:

• 75ml/5 tbsp rice vinegar

• 30ml/2 tbsp shoyu

• 45ml/3 tbsp mirin (sweet rice wine)

Serves 4

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Method:

1. Cut the carrots into thin matchsticks, 5cm/2in long. Put the carrots and salt into a mixing bowl, and mix well with your hands. After 25 minutes, rinse the wilted carrot in cold water, then drain.

2. In another bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients. Add the carrots, and leave to marinate for 3 hours.

3. Put a wok on a high heat, add the sesame seeds and toss constantly until the seeds start to pop. Remove from the heat and cool.

4. Chop the sesame seeds with a large, sharp knife on a large chopping board. Place the carrots in a bowl, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve cold.

This fascinating side dish is a Japanese invention, whereby carrot strips are made tender and sweet thanks to several hours' marinating in rice vinegar, shoyu and mirin. They make an excellent accompaniment for and contrast to rich dishes such as fried aubergine with miso sauce.

Cook's Tip: This marinade is coiled san bai Zu, and is one of the essential basic sauces in Japanese cooking. Shoyu is an essential ingredient and you should use the pale awakuchi soy sauce if available. Dilute the marinade with 15ml/1 tbsp second dashi stock, then add sesame seeds and a few dashes of sesame oil for a very tasty and healthy salad dressing.