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–+ servings

Goma-ae Salad (Japanese Spinach Salad with Sesame Sauce)

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients 
 

  • 2000 ml water for blanching
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 250 g Oriental spinach
  • 1 bowl ice cold water

Sesame sauce

  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
  • 2 tbsp ground sesame seeds
  • 1 tbsp light brown sugar or granulated sugar
  • ½ tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
  • ½ tbsp dashi stock or water with a pinch of dashi granules, or water only

Instructions 

  • Start by filling a large pot with 2000 ml water and bring to a rolling boil. While you wait, fill a bowl with cold water and add 250 g Oriental spinach. Open the roots and swish vigorously to clean out sand and grit. Replace the water if it gets too sand and repeat until thoroughly cleaned.
    cleaning the roots of spinach in a bowl of water
  • Once the water is boiling, add 1 tsp salt to the pot and mix. Bring to a boil once more and prepare 1 bowl ice cold water. When it's boiling rapidly, place the spinach in the pot root-first with the leaves above the surface of the water, leaning over the edge of the pot. Boil for 30 seconds.
    Cooking the thicker parts of spinach in boiling water (leaves not yet submerged)
  • Push the leaves down to submerge them in the water and continue to blanch for 15-30 seconds (the stems 45-60 seconds in total).
    Whole spinach (both stems and leaves) submerged in a pot of boiling water on the stove
  • Remove the spinach from the water and transfer straight to the bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process.
    Blanched spinach in a bowl of ice water
  • While the spinach cools, take a mixing bowl (big enough to add the spinach) and add ¼ tsp salt, ½ tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 2 tbsp ground sesame seeds, 1 tbsp light brown sugar, ½ tbsp toasted white sesame seeds, ½ tbsp dashi stock. (If you don't have dashi you can use an equal amount of water instead.) Mix well.
    Japanese sesame spinach salad sauce in a mixing bowl
  • Remove the spinach from the bowl and thoroughly squeeze out the excess water to avoid watering down the sauce. Cut off the roots, then cut it into thirds or quarters lengthways before adding it to the bowl of sauce. Mix until evenly coated and enjoy!
    Mixing blanched spinach with sesame dressing

Notes

Use frozen spinach only if fully thawed and squeezed dry.
Substitute with Swiss chard or beet greens. Blanch as with spinach, but give chard stems one extra minute.
You can also try other vegetables like green beans, broccoli, bean sprouts, or asparagus. Blanch each to your preferred doneness.
Store in an airtight container in the coldest part of the fridge for 2-3 days, or freeze in portioned wraps inside freezer bags for up to 1 month.
Serving ideas: Grilled Mackerel (Saba Shioyaki), Teriyaki Salmon, Agedashi Tofu, Salmon Onigiri