Japanese Steakhouse Ginger Dressing: Hibachi-Style Carrot and Ginger
By Pauline Ortiz
Prep
15 min
Total
15 min
Servings
12
Level
Easy
Prep a Japanese steakhouse salad dressing containing carrots․ Serve chilled or cold over a salad or in smaller portions during the week for lunch․ The carrot pieces will stay somewhat intact but will easily pour in this salad dressing․ Ginger's sharp bite and sesame oil will appear on the surface of the salad dressing in the jar (I like sesame oil floating on the salad dressing)․
I recommend using a food processor to make mashed vegetables‚ but a high-powered blender can work as well․ Pulse 10 to 15 times or until the vegetables are reduced to relatively evenly sized small pieces․ Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides before adding other ingredients and blend on low power for 30 seconds․ Longer blending times will cause the vegetables to become a liquid instead of a mashed product․
Heat the neutral oil very gently․ Add toasted sesame oil drop by drop until droplets appear on the surface of the oil․ Shred fresh ginger with a rasp grater and cut away the fiber of the ginger root․ Canned ginger paste will change the taste of the dressing․ Don't puree vegetables too finely for the dressing․
I use this dressing on iceberg lettuce․ I serve the iceberg lettuce in a small white round ceramic ramekin to give it a steakhouse feel․ Other uses for this dressing include jalapeno coleslaw‚ grilled proteins‚ and appetizers․ Other uses for this dressing include toppings for Greek chicken gyros․ Complete meals I recommend with the salad include garlic butter shrimp‚ honey garlic salmon fingers‚ Chinese beef stir-fry‚ and Greek chicken gyros․ The orange dressing adheres well to iceberg lettuce․
Why you'll love this recipe
- The rough texture of the carrot mixture allows dressing to stick to iceberg lettuce leaves instead of dripping off the salad․
- Food processor settings leave some vegetable bits‚ which is the kind of pour I am looking for to serve with steak․
- Jars are great for jalapeno coleslaw‚ other grilled dishes‚ crunchy appetizers‚ and Greek chicken gyros all week․
- Sesame oil is added last and will form droplets on top of the dressing when it is portioned․
- Fresh carrots add an earthy‚ slightly sweet taste along with the flavors of fresh ginger and onion․
Ingredients
- •1 cup raw carrots (125 g, peeled and chopped)
- •½ cup white onion (80 g, chopped)
- •2 tbsp fresh ginger root (12 g, grated)
- •½ cup unseasoned rice vinegar (120 ml)
- •1 cup neutral vegetable oil (240 ml, canola or grapeseed oil)
- •2 tbsp soy sauce (30 ml)
- •2 tbsp honey or sugar (30 ml)
- •1 tbsp tomato paste (16 g)
- •1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (15 ml)
- •1 tsp toasted sesame oil (5 ml, for finishing)
Instructions
- 1
Peel the carrots and cut them into 1/2-inch rounds. Peel and roughly chop the white onion, then grate the fresh ginger with a microplane and discard any fibrous ends.
- 2
Add the carrots, onion, ginger, tomato paste, and honey or sugar to a food processor or blender.
- 3
Pulse 10-15 times, until the vegetables form a coarse orange paste with small, even crumbs.
- 4
Add the rice vinegar, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Blend on low speed for 30 seconds.
- 5
With the motor running on its lowest setting, drizzle in the neutral vegetable oil in a thin, steady stream until the dressing is thick and emulsified.
- 6
Pulse in the toasted sesame oil until tiny droplets remain visible on the surface.
- 7
Chill for 4 hours before serving.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
185
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