Chickpea and Carrot Salad with Japanese-Inspired Carrot Dressing

When I go food shopping I try to always pick up something new (to me). Otherwise it can be much too boring to go shop for food time after time. I recently came home with a little bottle of shichimi togarashi, a Japanese spice blend made with seaweed.

Shichimi togarashi is a red pepper mix, also called "seven spice". It's a common sprinkle-over for soba noodles, udon, and grilled dishes. You can make it yourself using this handy recipe from Chow. It is made up of red pepper, roasted orange peel, yellow sesame seed, black sesame seed, Japanese pepper, seaweed, and ginger.

Chickpea and Carrot Salad with Carrot Dressing
dressing adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special
serves 3 as a main dish or 6 as a side dish

for the salad:
1 1/2 large carrots (about 210 g), grated
150 g daikon radish
1/4 head of red cabbage (about 100 g)
3 c (450 g) cooked quinoa (or another cooked grain), warm
1/2 c (100 g) diced cucumber
2 c cooked chickpeas (or a 300 g can)
1 T seeds

for the dressing:
1/2 large carrot (about 70 g)
1 T wine vinegar or mirin
1 T cider vinegar
2 T soy sauce
1/2 t toasted sesame oil
2 t grated fresh ginger
1 T canola oil
1 t shichimi togarashi spice mixture

Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl.

Put the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree.
Pour over the salad and toss.

Have you tried any new items from the grocery store lately?