Kabayaki Sauce for One

This makes about ½ a cup, so you’ll want to use it for dips, dressings, and coating your tofu.

• ¼ cup tamari or soy sauce
• ¼ cup mirin
• 2 TBLSP granulated sugar

1. Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan.
2. Bring them to a boil and then turn down the heat. Simmer on low heat for a few minutes.
3. When it thickens a bit, take it off the heat, which should take about 20 minutes, depending on the intensity of your stove.

Use to marinate tempeh, tofu, permeable vegetables (like parsnips, celeriac, or mushrooms), or dress your sushi with it. Yummmm!  

Japanese Carrot and Ginger Salad Dressing for One

I’ve never been much of a fan of iceberg lettuce unless you put it underneath that fabulous Japanese salad dressing. So when a neighbor gave me a big sack of already chopped salad that was mostly iceberg, I had to play with my food.

¼ large carrot, peeled and chopped

¼ cup vegan mayonnaise

½ TBLSP ground ginger

½ TBLSP soy sauce

½ TBLSP granulated sugar

1. In a food processor or blender, combine carrot, mayonnaise, ginger, soy sauce, and sugar.
2. Blend until it’s fairly smooth. I like a few chunks, but you do it how you like it.

Serve on a mostly iceberg lettuce salad with cabbage, carrot, and green onion for a restaurant-style salad.

This recipe could easily double or triple if you're not dining alone. 

I like this elegant dressing and salad with a roll of avocado sushi and some miso soup, but it would certainly be nice on a more elaborate salad and served as a main course. Like this:

Variations:

• Use ½ inch or so of freshly grated ginger instead of ground.
• Sprinkle in a few grains (and I mean just a few grains) of wasabi powder. It will mix with the sugar and be SUPER hot, so really: Go easy.