One of my fondest food memories as a child was going to the local Hibachi restaurant and chowing down while enjoying the shrimp tossing and other silly cooking shenanigans intertwined with bad dad jokes. While in no way whatsoever is any of that legit Japanese cuisine, I think we all need to thank Hiroaki AKA "Rocky" Aioki for starting up such a wild restaurant idea as Benihanas here in America back in the 60s. While many knockoff restaurants have emerged since, the base menu among them all remains relatively the same. You choose a protein, get some fried rice with that irresistible Yum Yum sauce, and typically finish off the plate with a veggie. More recently, I would say that zucchini seems to be the popular choice, but back in the day there was nothing better than the sweet carrots to compliment the salty and buttery meat and rice. Today's recipe, Hibachi Sweet Carrots, is a simple homemade tribute version that requires only 4 ingredients and about 10 minutes making it the ultimate side dish for just about any meal! Ready to become addicted and NEVER make a different carrot dish again? Let's Get Cooking!
I'll start off by saying any carrots will work for this recipe. If you use baby carrots you don't even have to do a single step of prep work. Regular carrots will need to be cut down into equal bite-sized rounds. Little finger carrots can be left whole, but may require a few additional minutes of cooking time. Whichever carrot you choose to use, just think single bite-size and prep accordingly.
Place the carrots in a pot with enough water to cover the carrots. Add sugar and salt according to the recipe card and bring up to a boil.
Keep the pot uncovered and boil the carrots for 5 to 7 minutes, depending on size until tender. You want the carrots to be soft yet still solid and not mushy. Try tasting one after 5 minutes and adjust accordingly. As long as your carrots are similar in size to baby carrots, about 6 minutes is perfect.
Once tender, immediately drain the excess liquids and return carrots to the same pot without rinsing anything. Add butter and swirl to coat. The hot carrots should easily melt the butter but be careful at this point not to smash your carrots into mush. They should still be firm enough to withstand some stirring, but too much may ruin your presentation.
That's it, folks! You can transfer the whole batch to a serving platter or just dish out straight from the pot. My last batch was for our Easter dinner so I moved them over into a Pyrex dish for transport to the in-laws, but this recipe is so quick and easy you can just show up to wherever you are eating with a bag of carrots in hand and have them ready on the table in 10 minutes.
These Hibachi Sweet Carrots were originally meant to be enjoyed with a flat top grill dinner and show, but they are so wonderful I think you can pair them with just about any meal. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or even next Thursday are perfect for whipping up a batch of these carrots to complete the meal and have everyone smiling with joy! If you are making your own hibachi-style dinner at home, garnish these carrots with some sesame seeds to add a bit of crunch. Otherwise, parsley and carrots were meant for one another so make your plate even prettier with a touch of green. No matter when you cook these Hibachi Sweet Carrots, how you serve or garnish, or even how many extra servings you end up enjoying, be sure to give this recipe a try. I will even go as far as to put the Grubb On Grub Guarantee of Gluttony on these tasty carrots as long as you get in the kitchen and make a batch or 10...Just Keep Cooking!
HIBACHI SWEET CARROTS
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