Rainbow Carrot Goma-ae Salad
A staple at virtually all Japanese restaurants, the classic goma-ae salad is the perfect way to start a meal or complement a main course. The term “goma” means “sesame” in Japanese and the “ae” is a reference to sauce—the mixing of vegetables with sesame dressing.
The most common way to make a goma-ae salad is to pour the dressing over wilted spinach, but any other fresh or cooked vegetables work equally well, including these lovely rainbow carrots. Shaved carrots not only look pretty on the plate, but create more surface area for the delicious dressing to cover!
1. In a mortar with a pestle or in a food processor, grind the sesame seeds until some of the oil has been released and the seeds are slightly crushed, but the mixture has not yet become a paste. Instead, it should look like crunchy wet sand.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the ground sesame seeds, sesame oil, soy sauce, dashi powder, rice vinegar, water, mirin, granulated garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and the honey until well combined. Taste and add more salt, if desired. Set aside.
3. In a serving bowl, toss the dressing with the carrots until evenly coated. Top the carrots with the sliced scallions (if using) and serve immediately.
Reprinted with permission from Sesame: Global Recipes + Stories of an Ancient Seed. Text copyright © 2025 by Rachel Simons. Photographs copyright © 2025 by Alan Benson. Illustrations copyright © 2025 by Evelina Edens. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.
Originally featured in
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