Tender blanched spinach tossed in a fragrant, lightly sweet sesame dressing—nutty, clean, perfectly balanced. 🌿
Hook
Silky greens + toasty sesame = minimalist umami at its best! 🥢
Ingredients
🥬 Spinach: 300 g (10.6 oz)
💧 Water for blanching: 2 l (2.1 qt)
🧂 Salt for blanching: 20 g (0.7 oz)
Sesame dressing (goma-dare):
🌾 Toasted sesame seeds: 16 g (2 tbsp) + 2 g (½ tsp) for garnish
🍶 Soy sauce: 15 ml (1 tbsp)
🍯 Mirin: 15 ml (1 tbsp)
🍚 Sugar: 4 g (1 tsp)
🍶 Rice vinegar: 5 ml (1 tsp)
🛢️ Sesame oil (optional): 2 ml (½ tsp)
Preparation
1️⃣ Blanch: Bring 2 l (2.1 qt) water with 20 g (0.7 oz) salt to a boil. Add spinach and cook 30–40 sec until just wilted.
2️⃣ Shock & squeeze: Transfer to ice water, drain, and gently squeeze out excess. Cut into 4–5 cm (1½–2 in) lengths.
3️⃣ Grind sesame: In a suribachi/mortar, grind 16 g (2 tbsp) warm toasted sesame to a coarse paste.
4️⃣ Make dressing: Whisk in 15 ml (1 tbsp) soy, 15 ml (1 tbsp) mirin, 4 g (1 tsp) sugar, 5 ml (1 tsp) rice vinegar, and 2 ml (½ tsp) sesame oil until glossy.
5️⃣ Toss & serve: Fold spinach with dressing. Mound in a small bowl and sprinkle with 2 g (½ tsp) sesame seeds.
Total Time
🕒 Preparation: 10 min
🔥 Cooking: 2 min
💤 Rest/Chill: 5 min
⏰ Total: 17 min
Nutritional Value
🍽️ Calories: 120 kcal
🥩 Protein: 5 g
🥖 Carbohydrates: 8 g
🛢️ Fat: 7 g
🧂 Sodium: 620 mg
Advice
Grind sesame while still warm for maximum aroma and natural oils. 🌾
Why it works 💡
Warm seeds release volatile oils, deepening nuttiness without extra fat.
Twist 🍋
Whisk 3 g (½ tsp) white miso into the dressing or finish with a little yuzu zest for citrus lift.
Status
Clean, nutty, and elegant—small dish, big satisfaction. 🌿✨ #grannyzen #gomae
Share & Print
Rate & react
5.0 / 50 votes
Diff avg: –/50 short • 0 right • 0 long0 easy • 0 hard
Comments