recipes at random

I had ginger salad at lunch today (at Spices in Washington, DC's, Cleveland Park) and thought it might be easy to make. Here's a recipe that seems about right, though the version I had might have been a more traditional not-quite-vegetarian version. According to the recipe I picked, "ginger salad is often served as an appetizer in the United States but as a dessert or palate cleanser in Burma. Select the youngest and freshest ginger possible, avoiding any dried or discolored pieces. For a different, sweeter taste, try substituting red pickled ginger." I'm going to try it with the pickled ginger.

1/2 cup very thinly sliced fresh ginger
3 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. sesame seeds
2 Tbs. peanut oil
2 Tbs. sliced garlic
1 small tomato, coarsely chopped
1 cup diced cabbage
3 Tbs. ground roasted peanuts
2 Tbs. low-sodium or “white” soy sauce
1 Tbs. chickpea flour
Hot green chilies, minced, optional

1. Combine ginger and 2 tablespoons lime juice, and set aside to marinate for a minimum of 2 hours.
2. Dry-roast sesame seeds in large skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Remove from heat, and set aside. Heat oil in same skillet over medium heat, and sauté garlic slices until brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
3. Squeeze lime juice from ginger. Combine ginger, tomato, cabbage, peanuts, garlic, remaining oil and sesame seeds. Add soy sauce and remaining lime juice. Sprinkle with chickpea flour, and toss. Garnish with finely chopped chilies, if using.