Shredded Carrot (胡萝卜丝)

Name: Shredded Carrot (胡萝卜丝)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 3 servings
Ingredients: 3 carrots (600-700g); 3 Spring Onions; 2 slices Ginger; 3 cloves Garlic; 1 Star Anise; 1 tbsp whole Sichuan Peppercorns (Szechuan); 1.5 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 pinch Salt - to taste; 2 tsp toasted sesame oil; 1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds

Carrots found a good home in North China. They were a hardy crop that could be added to the small list of vegetables that thrived in the cold climate and could store well right through the winter. They were a popular choice for pickling alongside white radishes, but also sat nicely in a soup or stew, and paired well with fatty meats too. But here the vegetables works alone: the sweetness of the carrot standing bolding next to big Chinese spices. This is not a crunchy refreshing summer salad. We want to cook the carrot until the water steams out and the rawness has faded. Once soft, the carrot is transformed; the flavours absorb to create a little taste of Xi’an in your own kitchen.

TeaOranges

Prep10 min

Cook10 min

Total20 min

Servings3

Difficultyeasy

ChineseVeganVegetarianVegetables

Ingredients

3carrots (600-700g)
3Spring Onions
2 slicesGinger
3 clovesGarlic
1Star Anise
1 tbspwhole Sichuan Peppercorns (Szechuan)
1.5 tbsplight soy sauce
1 pinchSalt - to taste
2 tsptoasted sesame oil
1 tbspToasted Sesame Seeds

Instructions

1
Wash and peel the carrots, and then shred the carrots using a mandolin or the julienne side of your veg peeler. You want long, noodle-like strands of carrot. Set aside.
2
Prepare the other ingredients: separate the white and green part of the spring onion and then finely slice the white part and chop the green part into 1-inch pieces. Slice the ginger with the skin on, and finely chop the garlic.
3
Heat a wok over a low heat without oil and add the sesame seeds. Dry-fry for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Remove the sesame seeds from the pan and set aside for later.
4
Heat the same wok over a low heat with 1.5 tablespoons of oil. When hot, add the Sichuan peppercorns and fry for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
5
Add the spring onion (white and green), ginger, garlic and star anise and fry for another minute, being careful not to colour the garlic.
6
Turn up the heat to high, add the carrot and stir. Cover the wok with a lid, turn the heat down a bit and leave for about 2 minutes or until the carrot has lost it’s rawness.
7
Remove the lid, then add the soy sauce and stir to coat all the carrot. Cook for another minute and then take off the heat. Find the ginger and star anise and discard if you want.
8
Stir in the sesame oil and most of the seeds, stir, plate, and then sprinkle the remaining seeds over the top.