Carrot Sesame Salad

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Title: Carrot Sesame Salad
Tags: sides

2 medium carrots
3/4 Tbs. lemon juice, OR 1 Tbs. ponzu
1/2 tsp. sugar
Pinch of dashi granules or konbu powder (you can leave this out)
Pinch of salt (omit if you are using dashi granules)
A dash of soy sauce
1/2 Tbs. dark sesame oil
1 Optional: Some roughly chopped parsley

Peel the carrots, and shred them with a coarse grater.

Put in a bowl with the chopped parsley. Add the rest of the ingredients, and mix well. The flavor mellows if you can let it rest for an hour or more (overnight is good).

And..that’s it! Just drain off some of the juice when packing into a bento box. I do recommend putting it in a divider cup. (The leftover juice is very tasty, so you could add it to a green salad as dressing.)

Variations and Notes
Add a tablespoon or so of toasted sesame seeds.
Add some julienned red chili pepper for a spicy version.
Note about ponzu: This is a citrusy vinegar/condiment available at Japanese grocery stores. It has a tart, refreshing flavor. (It’s also been rather trendy in the restaurant scene for a few years.) It makes a great salad dressing base.
Buy sesame oil at an Asian store. Some health food stores may have untoasted (raw) sesame oil, which may be better for you but does not have the flavor of toasted sesame oil, which should be a medium to dark amber in color, not clear or yellowish.

Yields:
Source: http://justbento.com/handbook/recipes-sides-and-fillers/easiest-ever-carrot-sesame-salad
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