The original inspiration for this recipe was created by Ilene Rosen (Check out her book Saladish) and I stumbled across it via this New York Times Cooking recipe adapted by Melissa Clark. In my version below, I’m adding roasted sesame oil, skipping the MSG and otherwise unrefining it—let’s make a small batch and skip the hassle of the food processor!
This combination is mouthwatering and I’m excited to eat this up. Try it over rice noodles and thinly sliced kale with tofu, or over your grilled or roasted protein or veggies, as a salad dressing, or as a dip for crackers, crusty bread, naan or other flatbread. So many possibilities!
INGREDIENTS
1/4 toasted sesame oil (or a blend of extra virgin olive oil and toasted sesame oil)
2 heaping teaspoons of cumin seeds (or 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin)
1 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 tbs rice vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard or ground mustard seed
1 pinch chile, optional (could be cayenne, or of course, in my case, chiltepin)
1 tsp miso paste (optional, but adds good flavor!)
salt and pepper, to taste
sweetener, to taste (we have so much citrus, I’m using the juice of 1/2 a tangerine. You could also go with a little bit of honey or sugar.)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat oil and cumin seeds in a small pan over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Let oil cool, then mix in the cilantro, vinegar, mustard, miso and chile
3. Add in the salt, pepper and sweetener to taste
Dig in or serve it up!