RECIPE: Ginger and Sesame Dressing

I use this dressing over tofu (fried or fresh), chicken (thighs with skin on, fried, then cut into strips), beef (prepare like chicken), or fish (steamed in a bamboo steamer). Here’s one idea:

Steamed green vegies (e.g. snow peas, broccholi, bok choy, etc) and shirataki noodles are awesome low-carb accompaniaments to the main dish. Or, if all this talk of low-carb inclines you to say “Do I look like I’m listening” and “Speak to the hand”, then I guess rice could work too.

Quantities of ingredients are not specified because this is partly a matter of taste (which flavors do you wish to highlight) and aesthetics (texture and viscosity of the dressing).

Variations on the theme which change either the flavor, the texture, or both (by substituting some tamari for salt; or by adding some peanut butter) are discussed at notes 1 and 2 below.

INGREDIENTS
• ginger, grated
• green onions, thinly sliced
• red chilli pepper, thinly sliced
• sesame oil
• chilli oil
• Japanese rice wine vinegar
• tamari soy sauce

METHOD
Get ingredients. Prepare ingredients. Put ingredients into jar, close lid tightly, shake vigorously, then pour over your favorite food.

NOTES
1. Add peanut butter to thicken the dressing so that it coats tofu (or chicken, or whatever else) better. this also mellows the flavor, as well as changing it which creates a variation on a theme.
2. For best results, the level of salt must be just right. This is to some degree a matter of personal taste, but I’ve found that adding salt and reducing the amount of tamari (which can overpower the flavor) is a good way to get the saltiness/tamari balance right.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Emma and Laura have both contributed ideas and inspiration to this recipe. Thanks ladies. =)