Japanese
Goma-ae
Briefly blanched spinach cut into tidy bundles and dressed with freshly crushed toasted sesame, soy sauce, and sugar for a nutty side that stays green and structured.
4 servings · 15 minutes prep · 3 minutes cook
Ingredients
Spinach
- 10 ounces mature bunch spinach, roots trimmed but stems kept attached, washed thoroughly
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, for the blanching water
Sesame Dressing
- 3 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Directions
Blanch and Cool
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add the fine sea salt. Grip the spinach with tongs and submerge only the stems for 20 seconds, then lower the leaves and blanch for 30 seconds more.
- Transfer immediately to cold water. When cool, align the stems, lift the spinach into a colander, and press in sections between your palms until no water streams out; do not twist.
Grind the Sesame
- Grind the toasted sesame seeds until most are cracked and fragrant but some remain visibly coarse. Reserve 1 teaspoon for finishing.
- Stir the soy sauce and sugar into the ground sesame until the sugar dissolves and the mixture resembles a loose, grainy paste.
Cut and Dress
- Cut the aligned spinach into 1 1/2-inch lengths, separating any tightly compressed clumps with your fingers. Fold it through the dressing until the stems and leaves carry an even sesame coating.
- Arrange in four small mounds, scatter over the reserved sesame, and serve within 30 minutes at cool room temperature or lightly chilled.
