No one will chide you for offering a variety of salads particularly during the festive season where serious feasting takes place.

Salads are perfect meals accompaniment, and often the justification for our unashamedly, unapologetic feasting.

One cannot ignore dried cranberry if one wants a cheery festive salad.
I am pairing it with the shredded carrots which can be prepared a day ahead, made easy with the food processor.

Instead of the usual creamy dressing, I opt for the zingy Yuzu dressing.
I added candied ginger for some heat. If you can't get your hands on candied ginger, freshly grated ginger will do too.

Mix in some chopped flat leaf parsley, and we have yet another vibrant, festive salad.

Cheers to the golden goodness!


You will need:

3 carrots, shredded
1/2 cup of dried cranberry
1 tablespoon of chopped flat leaf parsley

dressing:
2 tablespoon of Yuzu or Yujacha (Korean citron tea)
2 tablespoon olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 sake
1 handful of bite size candied ginger  or 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
pinch of salt
sliced kumquat for garnishing (optional)


Methods:

1. Grate the carrots in a food processor. Set aside.

2. In a salad bowl, combine the yuzu paste, lemon juice, sake, ginger, olive oil and salt.

3. Add the carrots, fresh parsley and cranberry and toss well. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

• Depending on the sweetness of the carrots, you may want to add more or less yuzu paste.
• If you make this salad ahead of time, be sure to recheck the seasoning before serving as the flavours tend to mellow.
• Drain off the excess liquid from the dressing if you do not like it too soggy.

Yuzu/Yujia (citron tea)