PB & Soy Carrots
Some side dishes are place holders — they just occupy a parcel of real estate on the side of the plate without actually contributing anything to the property. (White buns, anemic iceberg lettuce, bland mashed potatoes…) But then some side dishes are so dang good you wish they were the main dish. This is one of those.
Thanks to the inclusion of umami-rich soy sauce and (nearly) universally beloved peanut butter, you get a huge flavor return on your efforts. And for a main course, you could double or triple the sauce and cook strips of chicken or beef along with the carrots. Brown rice would make a nice accompaniment. So much for those dull buns!
PB & Soy Carrots
Makes enough for 4 side dishes. Use wheat-free tamari instead of soy sauce if you’d like to make them gluten-free. (Most tamari is made from soy beans, salt, and water; soy sauce is usually made from soy beans, wheat, salt, and water.)
8 medium carrots, preferably organic (they really do taste better!), peeled and cut into 2″-long matchsticks
1/4 cup 100% peanut butter, salted or unsalted depending on your taste buds
2 T. soy sauce or wheat-free tamari
2 T. maple syrup (check the ingredients list to make sure it really is maple syrup!)
1/2 c. water
Place all ingredients into a wide-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir to make sure the peanut butter is evenly distributed, then cover and let simmer for 10 minutes. Check to make sure there’s still enough liquid to cook the carrots — if the carrots are getting dry and starting to stick to the bottom of the pan, add another 2 T. water. Continue simmering for another 5 minutes and then poke one of the carrots with a knife tip to make sure your desired level of tenderness has been reached. You may wind up simmering the carrots for as long as 25 minutes if you like them fairly soft.
Serve warm or cold. These carrots are equally delicious cold out of the refrigerator the next day, so you may want to double or triple the recipe and then enjoy the leftovers as snacks. Carrots will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Enjoy!
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Tags: carrots, gluten-free, peanut butter, side dish, soy sauce
