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This quick Japanese spinach dish with its crunchy sesame topping brings real Japanese taste to your dinner in just a few minutes. The vibrant blanched spinach works so well with the rich, deep-flavored dressing to make something that's both light and filling.
I first tried this at a tiny family-run Japanese spot and got hooked right away, wanting to make it myself. After trying a few times, this is now what I make when I need a quick but wow-worthy side for guests.
Ingredients
- Fresh spinach: Go for small, soft leaves with bright color for the nicest bite and taste
- Sesame seeds: They're what makes this dish special with their nutty taste and old-world charm
- Soy sauce: Try Japanese tamari if you can for a deeper flavor and color
- Rice vinegar: Adds a soft tang that works with the salty and sweet parts
- Sugar: Just a bit to smooth out the dressing without going too sweet
- Sesame oil: Get the toasted kind for that strong nutty kick, don't swap it for something else
- Fresh garlic and ginger: Must-have flavor boosters that build depth and true Japanese taste
- Salt: A tiny bit to wake up all the other flavors
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Get Your Spinach Ready:
- Heat up a big pot of water until it's bubbling hard. Drop in your clean spinach for just one minute - watch closely so it doesn't get mushy. It should turn bright and start to soften. Right after, put it in ice water to keep the color and stop it cooking more. When it's cold, drain it well and gently squeeze out all the water. This keeps your salad from getting soggy.
- Make Your Seeds Crunchy:
- Put your sesame seeds in a dry pan on medium heat. Keep an eye on them, moving the pan around so they toast evenly. After about 2 minutes they'll turn golden and smell nutty. Take them off the heat as soon as they look light gold because they'll keep cooking a bit. Let them cool fully to get the most flavor.
- Mix Up Your Dressing:
- Throw all your wet stuff and seasonings in a small bowl. Stir really hard until the sugar melts away, about a minute of non-stop mixing. The dressing should look a bit thick and smooth. Let it sit for 5 minutes so the garlic and ginger can share their taste with everything else.
- Put It All Together:
- Cut your dried spinach into easy-to-eat bits if you want. Put it in a bowl and pour about two-thirds of your dressing on top. Mix softly with chopsticks or tongs to cover each leaf without smashing them. Add more dressing if you need it, but don't make it swim.
- Add The Finishing Touch:
- Sprinkle lots of your toasted seeds all over the dressed spinach. For the best taste, eat it right away while you can enjoy the warm dressing meeting the cool spinach.
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Those sesame seeds really make this dish special. I always keep good seeds in my freezer to stay fresh and toast them when I need them. There's such a big difference between pre-toasted and just-toasted seeds - my Japanese grandma showed me this trick when I first started cooking.
Traditional Serving Context
In Japan, they call this dish Goma-ae or Gomaae, which just means "with sesame dressing." You'll often see it as part of ichiju-sansai meals, which is their way of eating with one soup, three sides and some rice. While spinach is what most people use, you can put this same yummy sesame mix on blanched green beans, broccoli, or even carrots. This dish shows how Japanese cooking likes to make natural foods shine with just a few careful touches.
Perfect Pairings
This handy side goes with almost any Japanese main dish. Try it with grilled salmon, chicken teriyaki, or crispy tonkatsu for a full meal. If you don't eat meat, it's great with miso soup and veggie tempura. Since it's cool and refreshing, it works really well with spicy foods too. In hot weather, I like to serve it cold as part of a spread of small dishes for a fancy but easy meal.
Storage Tips
You can make this salad a day ahead, which makes it great for planning meals. Keep the dressed spinach in a tight container in your fridge, but save the toasted seeds until you're ready to eat so they stay crunchy. The dressing by itself will last about a week in the fridge, so maybe make extra to have on hand for quick salads all week. If your dressing splits apart while sitting, just give it another good stir before using it.
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This dish gives you a fancy but easy way to bring real Japanese flavors to your table—it works for any time you need something special.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can this spinach dish be made ahead of time?
Sure, prep in advance by blanching the spinach and keeping it chilled. Mix the dressing separately and add it just before serving. Toast sesame seeds early but sprinkle on top at the last minute for a crunchier bite.
- → What can I use instead of rice vinegar?
Don’t worry if rice vinegar's missing—you can swap in apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. Try adding a dash of sugar for that slight sweetness. Lemon juice is another option, though it shifts the flavor a bit.
- → Is blanching the spinach really needed?
Blanching’s a tradition here! It softens the spinach and keeps its beautiful green shade, plus reduces its raw intensity. Prefer your spinach crunchier? Go for raw instead.
- → What other veggies work with this dressing?
This soy-sesame mix tastes great on blanched broccoli, green beans, or baby bok choy. Crunchy options like cucumber slices or shredded carrots add pop. Want protein? Toss in tofu or edamame.
- → How long does sesame dressing stay good?
This dressing holds up for about five days when covered and chilled. In fact, it gets better with time! Just stir or shake it before serving—it might separate a bit.
- → Can frozen spinach be used instead?
If fresh is out of reach, frozen spinach works too. Thaw it fully and squeeze out all the water you can. The texture won’t totally match fresh spinach, but you’ll still enjoy the flavor.