Carrot and Peanut Salad (it works)

A super simple, vegan salad made with carrots cut into mini batons.  There are very few ingredients in the salad, add salted peanuts to the carrots, parsley (optional green chilli, if you have the urge) followed by a vinaigrette dressing that includes pure sesame oil (good twist).

Very finely chopped parsley really finishes the dish admirably.

This is both a simple and tasty salad, it's a favourite, which inevitably means there are a few swaps and suggestions.  Finally, the ingredients are readily available in many places.

How to serve?  

It's a great salad for a family gathering or offered with a Middle Eastern/North African selection of plates.  I enjoyed it with chorizo and manchego pizza today.

Ingredients (4 as a side salad):

3 medium carrots, scrubbed, peeled and cut into small batons

100g salted peanuts

4 TBSP parsley, finely chopped with a sharp knife

Optional, green chilli finely chopped

Dressing:

1.5 TBSP cider vinegar

1 TBSP veg oil (rice bran here, others are fine)

1 tsp sesame oil (essential)

1/4 tsp black pepper

Whisk, taste and adjust the dressing, we know sourness can vary plus everyone has different tastes.  If the dressing is too sour, add more pepper or sesame oil.  

There's enough salt in the peanuts for none to be needed at this stage.

Tips:

Swap lemon juice or sherry vinegar into the dressing instead of cider vinegar.  

Cilantro/coriander could work instead of parsley.

Method:

All the work is done, assemble, coat carrots and peanuts in the dressing and serve immediately.

Another similar style of salad, from Loïc:

Tuna Shrimp Tabouleh

Simple and Vegetarian:

Turkish Mastabe, Creamy Yogurt Salad