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2. Mix the tahini, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, sesame oil, and soy sauce in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons water. Mix until creamy and smooth.

3. Pour the dressing over the noodles and toss until well coated. Add the sesame seeds and toss again. Cover the salad and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight before serving.

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COOK’S NOTE: I love the flavor of toasted sesame oil, which is dark in color and is available in Asian markets as well as some supermarkets. It is oft en added at the end of the cooking process as a flavor note. A little goes a long way—it has a very strong taste and aroma. Sesame oil that has not been toasted is much milder in flavor and great for cooking. It can withstand medium to high heat.

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warm asian mushroom salad

SERVES 4

It’s hard to believe, but this salad is the first thing I learned how to make after scrambled eggs and my grandmother’s easy pasta sauce. I was living in Paris at the tender age of twenty-one and discovered shiitake mushrooms at the farmers’ market. The rest of the ingredients I just instinctively threw in. The meatiness of the shiitake mushrooms helps make this salad a meal on its own.

2

tablespoons canola oil

One

1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced

2

garlic cloves, minced

4

medium shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut into 1/4-inch-wide matchsticks

2

tablespoons soy sauce

2

teaspoons toasted sesame oil

6

cups loosely packed mixed baby lettuces

1

medium carrot, peeled and grated

2

tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1

teaspoon black sesame seeds

1. Heat the canola oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, stirring constantly to make sure they don’t brown. Add the mushrooms and stir for 10 seconds. Add ¼ cup of water and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are soft and the water has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the soy sauce and the sesame oil and remove from the heat.

2. In a large bowl, combine the lettuces and carrot and add the mushrooms. Toss until the lettuce is coated with the soy sauce and sesame oil. Top the salad with cilantro and black sesame seeds.

thai carrot salad with toasted almonds

SERVES 4 TO 6

In Thailand this salad is usually made with toasted peanuts, but the almonds give a fresh twist to this sweet and spicy dish. It makes a great addition to an Asian-inspired meal, and is oh-so-easy to make.

Mix all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

6

medium carrots, peeled and grated on large holes

3

tablespoons sugar

3

garlic cloves, minced

1

tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro

1/2

green or red serrano chile, seeded and minced

3

tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2

teaspoons ume plum vinegar

1

teaspoon soy sauce

1/2

cup toasted almonds

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did you know. . .

Thirty-two percent of the carrots tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for pesticide residues in 2006 contained 3 or more pesticides. Imported conventional carrots pose greater risks than domestically grown vegetables, and scored 30 on the Dietary Risk Index scale.

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carrot caraway salad

SERVES 6 TO 8

There is something so refreshing about raw carrots. The sweet yet strong taste of the caraway seeds is the perfect match for the crispness of this vibrant root vegetable. Caraway seeds are actually not seeds at all but rather the small fruit of the caraway plant.

8

medium carrots, grated on medium holes (about 5 cups)

11/4

teaspoons caraway seeds

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1

tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons agave nectar

2

teaspoons apple cider vinegar

2

teaspoons Dijon mustard

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

1

tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Combine the carrots and caraway seeds in a medium bowl.

2. In a jar with a lid, combine the lemon juice, agave nectar,