Cold Salad with Celery, Peanuts, and Carrots (Vegan)

Ingredients

• Peanut kernels: 200 g
• Celery: 1 bunch
• Carrots: 2 pieces
• Scallion: ½ stalk
• Ginger: 3 slices
• Garlic: 3 cloves
• Sichuan peppercorns: 20 pieces
• Cinnamon stick: a small piece
• Bay leaf: 1 leaf
• Star anise: 1 piece
• Salt: 3 tsp
• MSG (optional): ½ tsp
• Oyster sauce: 1 tbsp
• Soy sauce: 2 tbsp

Instructions

1. Prepare the Peanuts
   Rinse the peanuts. Fill a pot with enough water and add the scallion, ginger, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, star anise, and 2 tsp of salt. Add the peanuts to the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer (adjust cooking time depending on the desired texture: for firmer peanuts, cook for a shorter time).
   • Wash the celery and cut it diagonally into pieces.
   • Blanch the celery briefly in boiling water, rinse under cold water, and drain.
2. Prepare the Vegetables
   While the peanuts are cooking, wash the carrots and celery. Cut them into small pieces or sections as preferred.
3. Drain the Peanuts
   Once the peanuts are cooked, drain them and remove the spices. If cooking for a longer time, the spices can be removed after about 30 minutes, as the flavor will already have infused.
4. Blanch the Vegetables
   In another pot, bring water to a boil and add a bit of salt. Blanch the carrots and celery for about 3 minutes. After blanching, immediately rinse them in cold water.
5. Combine Ingredients
   Lightly squeeze excess water out of the vegetables and place the carrots, celery, and peanuts in a mixing bowl. Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, MSG, and 1 tsp of salt, then mix everything thoroughly. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
6. Optional Flavors
   For a spicy kick, add some chili oil. For a more fragrant flavor, you can also add sesame oil.

Tips

This cold dish can be made in larger quantities and works well as a side dish for various main courses. The amounts of peanuts, celery, and carrots can be adjusted to personal preference. The peanuts should be boiled and soaked to absorb more flavor. The cooking time for the peanuts and the blanching time for the celery and carrots can also be tailored to your liking.