Carrots with Ginger and Black Sesame | THE COOKBOOK CHALLENGE

This recipe is so easy that I almost shouldn't be able to count it for the challenge, but I posted about salad dressing for god's sake, so I think this makes the cut. The flavors in this dish are... tangy. Crisp. Noticeable? Yes. But also delicious! This is a fun, super simple side dish that can accompany the turkey meatballs I've already posted, or a good salmon fillet, or even just a sandwich. This can be the thing you bring to a potluck or a dinner party; the thing you whip up when you really want to eat a serving (or seven) of fettuccini alfredo but you feel like you should be a little healthier. This is that thing!

Just don't do that thing where you eat this and only this and then you turn yellow like you have jaundice. That's just weird.

Ingredients - 4 large carrots - 2 teaspoons minced ginger - sea salt - hot toasted sesame oil - soy sauce - 1 tablespoon toasted black sesame seeds

Enter, IF YOU DARE...

Step 1: cut the carrots into matchstick pieces! I'm sure there is a culinary trick for this, but I just kept cutting into smaller bits by chopping fourths as seen below...

Step 2: Chop your ginger - two teaspoons finely minced ginger.

Step 3: Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO (if you don't know what this is by now then just LEAVE the kitchen) in a skillet and add the ginger. Cook for about 30 seconds, until ginger becomes fragrant.

Step 4: Add the carrots and stir them around in the gingery oil!

Step 5: Add 1/4 cup water and salt and turn the heat down to simmer the carrots. Don't worry if they're not submerged - they won't be entirely! This will steam them well enough. Cook them for 4-5 minutes, until softened.

Step 6: Toast your black sesame seeds if they're not already toasted...

Step 7: Stir in a couple of drops of the hot sesame oil, the sesame seeds, and the 1 teaspoon soy sauce.

Serve in a pretty bowl!

This is a recipe I'd make again, for sure. I might just not leave it in the fridge for my roommates to find several weeks later, as may have happened this time. Sorry guys!