Gomaae - Japanese Spinach Salad with Sesame Dressing
Japanese spinach salad, known as gomaae, is a delicious and nutritious side dish made with blanched spinach coated in a slightly sweet and nutty sesame sauce. It's a flavorful and refreshing addition to any meal.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 43kcal
Ingredients
- 1 Bunch of English spinach Not the babay spinach. Aproximatelly 220g
- 3 tablespoons Roasted white sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons Soy Soy Use Tamari, if following gluten-free diet
- 1 tablespoon Sugar Use organic raw sugar or other sweetner of your choice,
Instructions
Sesame sauce
- For the sesame sauce, put sesame seeds in a frying pan and toast them over low heat. When the sesame seeds turn light golden and start to pop, remove the pan from the heat and transfer them to a bowl or a plate to cool.
- Place the toasted sesame seeds into a mortar and pestle, grinding them to form a smooth paste while intentionally leaving some seeds unground to create some texture.
- Next, add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of sugar to the ground sesame seeds. Mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Set aside.
Prepare spinach
- Trim the English spinach by removing roots and damaged leaves. Then, thoroughly wash the spinach under running water to remove any sand or dirt that may be present. Ensure that the spinach is clean and free from any debris before using it in your recipe.
- Fill a large pot with lightly salted water. Bring the water to a boil.
- Add the spinach to the pot, starting from the stem side, as it takes longer to cook. Cook the spinach for 30 to 45 seconds in boiling water.
- Once the spinach has wilted, remove it from the boiling water using kitchen tongs and immediately transfer it to an ice water bath to stop the cooking process.
- Once the spinach has cooled down in the ice water bath, drain it thoroughly. You can squeeze it with your hands.
- Place the drained spinach on a chopping board and cut it into 1-2 inch (2.5-5 cm) lengths. Then, transfer the cut spinach into a medium bowl.
- Add the sesame sauce to the bowl with the cut spinach and toss everything together until the sauce is evenly distributed. You can now serve the dish either at room temperature or chilled, depending on your preference. Enjoy your delicious sesame spinach!
Notes
- Immediately transfer the spinach to an ice water bath to stop the cooking process.
- Squeeze the spinach with your hands after it cools to remove excess water.
- The sesame sauce can be made in a mortar and pestle, a spice grinder, or a small food processor.
- You can serve the gomae at room temperature or chilled.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2-3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 43kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Sodium: 496mg | Sugar: 3g
