Japanese Spinach Salad Recipes

GOMAE (JAPANESE SPINACH AND SESAME SALAD)

Steps:

• Put the sesame seeds in a small pan and turn the heat to low. Keep stirring the seeds until they become golden - about 6 to 7 minutes.
• Turn the heat off and put the seeds in a sesame seed grinder or mortar and pestle. Grind the seeds into a bowl and add the soy sauce, sugar, dashi powder, and water. Stir and set aside.
• Fill a large pot with water and 1 tablespoon salt, and bring to a boil.
• Meanwhile, fill a medium to large bowl with ice and cold water. Set aside.
• Add the spinach and boil for 1 minute and drain.
• Transfer the spinach to the bowl with ice and leave for a few minutes, until the spinach is cold.
• Drain the spinach and using your hands, take a chunk of spinach and squeeze as much excess water as you can. Place the spinach on a cutting board and repeat with the remaining spinach.
• Cut the spinach into 2-inch long pieces and transfer it to a mixing bowl.
• Add the sesame sauce on top and using chopsticks, toss until the spinach is evenly coated with the sauce. Serve.

GOMAE - JAPANESE STYLE SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• Toast sesame seeds until slightly brown, you will smell the scent of the sesame seeds when it's ready.
• Reserve small amount of the sesame seed for the garnish.
• Place the rest on a plate and crush (you could do this in a processor as well), then place in a bowl.
• Add water, soy, sugar into the bowl with the sesame seed. (If you are using the food processor then add these ingredients into the processor). Set aside until Spinach is ready.
• To cook the spinach: Add a pinch of salt into a pot of boiling hot water. Mix then add spinach for one minute (ONLY ONE MINUTE or the recipe is ruined).
• Pour the spinach and water into a colander and run cold tap water to cool down the spinach, this will stop it from cooking more.
• Squish the spinach with your hands, until all the moister is out of the spinach (you are only left with a small hand full of spinach).
• Cut spinach into strips (You could skip this part).
• Place spinach onto serving bowls and drizzle the dressing onto the spinach, then add reserved sesame seed as garnish.
• Enjoy Chef floWers Gomae - Japanese Style Spinach Salad.
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VEGAN JAPANESE SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• Place 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds on a plate; use the bottom of a pot or heavy measuring cup to crush the seeds. Transfer to a bowl. Add water, soy sauce, and sugar; stir dressing.
• Bring a small pot of water to a boil; add salt. Add spinach and cook until wilted, no more than 1 minute. Drain spinach into a colander and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process. Squeeze spinach with hands to remove moisture. Cut into strips.
• Place cooked spinach in serving bowls. Drizzle dressing on top and add remaining sesame seeds as garnish.

SPINACH AND TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Slice tofu into 1-inch-by-2-inch pieces about 1/4-inch thick and place in a deep bowl or on a platter.
• Make the marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, sake, brown sugar, ginger and cayenne. Pour marinade over tofu slices to coat well. Leave in marinade for at least 15 minutes. (You may marinate the tofu up to 24 hours in advance.)
• While the tofu marinates, pick over spinach leaves and remove any tough stems. Swish the spinach in a deep bowl of cold water. Lift leaves from water into a colander. If you see any sand in the water, repeat up to 3 times, using fresh water each time. Drain well and dry spinach, then wrap in a kitchen towel and refrigerate until ready to use. (You may wash the spinach up to 24 hours in advance.)
• Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, brown sugar, sesame oil, vegetable oil, soy sauce, miso, garlic and ginger.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and arrange the tofu pieces in a single layer. Spoon remaining marinade over tofu. Bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly crisped. Remove and leave at room temperature.
• To make the salad, arrange spinach in a low, wide salad bowl or on a deep platter. Scatter cucumber, daikon and edamame over spinach, then sprinkle with sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and peanuts. Tuck slices of tofu here and there.
• Sprinkle a pinch of salt over everything, then drizzle salad with dressing and serve.