In the colder months we're all about roasted veggies, soups, and stews; however, as it warms salads seem irresistible. This is a thick, delicious dressing that transforms any salad into a mouthwatering meal. If you are familiar with the carrot ginger dressing at some Japanese restaurants, this will take you right back, and it's so simple.
My husband loves this with seared tuna, I like it just as is. Here, the salad is a bed of spinach, thinly sliced peppers, cucumbers, cabbage, with strawberries and avocado. I sometimes add some toasted peanuts or roasted tofu, really whatever you have on hand. I've used it as a dip with left over steamed broccoli, or crisp celery, and also tossed it all over shredded cabbage as one would a slaw, only a lighter gingery miso version.
This will yield about a 2/3 cup, enough for 3-4 large dinner salads. It will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 4-5 days, in truth, I've never stored it for longer. It's usually gone within 24 hrs. It's so good.
¼ cup mild oil, such as a light olive oil, peanut, or grapeseed
¼ cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons miso (I've used white and red here, white is milder and sweeter, red is more robust and flavorful, it simply depends on which one you like better, if new to miso, start with the white)
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
2-3 medium carrots, roughly chopped
1-2 inch long thick piece fresh ginger, peeled, cut into rough chunks
Salt
freshly ground black pepper
Put all of the ingredients (except salt and pepper) into a food processor and whiz on high letting the machine run for a minute or so, until mixture is chunky-smooth. If you'd like it smoother a blender often does the trick. Although it is meant to be thick, I use a spoon to dress salads with this, if it is too too thick, you can add a 1-2 tablespoons water and blend again.
