Salad with Ponzu Soy Dressing

I hope you like Japanese food 'cause I got "Everyday Harumi" cookbook for Christmas and I'm planning to try every single recipe (just kidding!). Here is a slight and easy start with this "crispy salad with grated carrots and ponzu soy dressing" (p.176-177). Time for you to get started and buy the essentials ingredients* of the Japanese cooking. 

* (such as soy sauce, mirin, sake, rice vinegar, kombu seaweed (dried kelp), nori seaweed, katsuobushi (dried fish flakes) and/or instant dashi stick, toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil, sushi rice,...) 

Crispy salad with grated carrots and ponzu soy dressing 

(Everyday Harumi, p.176-177) (Serves 4)

1 package salad leaves (ME: or salad leaves from your farmer's market)

small carrot

1/4 ponzu soy sauce

1 tbs sesame oil

For the ponzu sauce:

1/2 cup mirin

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 inch piece kombu seaweed (dried kelp), wiped from any salty deposit

1. To make the ponzu sauce: Put the mirin in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce yhe heat to low and cook for a further 2-3 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Take off the heat and add the soy sauce, lemon juice, the piece of kombu seaweed, and stir to combine. Leave to cool, then refrigerate.

2. To make the salad leaves crispy, soak them in iced water then drain them well and put in the refrigerator until ready to dress.

3. Peel and grate the carrot.

4. When you are ready to serve, mix the ponzu sauce and sesame oil together to make a dressing.

5. Put the salad leaves on a serving plate and sprinkle the grated cattot on top. Pour the dressing over and serve immediately.