Cooking Local: Japanese Ginger Dressing

CONTRIBUTED BY KELLY GILLOTTI

If you’ve ever been to a Japanese Teppanyaki restaurant in the states, then you’ve had a taste of this dressing, atop a small bowl of iceberg lettuce, right next to your miso soup. I haven’t been to one here to know if it’s the same. Did you know that carrots are the key ingredient? I sure didn’t. This dressing had me baffled for years. Why don’t they call it carrot-ginger dressing? Give a girl a break.

The recipe:

• 2 peeled carrots or ninjin (ニンジン)
• ¼ of a large onion
• 1 ½ inch hunk of ginger or shouga (ショウガ)
• 1 tbsp miso paste (みそ)
• 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil or gomaabura (ごまあぶら)
• 4 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp honey
• Black pepper to taste

Add the ingredients to a blender and blend for a minute or two for a smooth dressing. You’ll have enough for two large salads. I poured this over a simple green salad with cucumber, and it got rave reviews.