Goma ae

Step 1

Place the sesame seeds in a Japanese mortar and grind them.

Step 2

Add the sugar, soy sauce and dashi. Combine them well altogether and set aside.

Step 3

Wash the spinach.

Step 4

Boil water in large pot.

Step 5

Add the spinach bunch into the boiling water from the stemside first, while holding leaves with your hands. Cook the stem for 30 seconds, then let the leaves to cook for another 30 seconds. So altogether just parboil for 1 minute.

Step 6

Take the spinach out and put them immediately in icy cold water to avoid the spinach being cooked furter.

Step 7

Squeeze out the excess water and cut the spinach about 4cm/1.5inch long.

Step 8

Season spinach with soy sauce and squeeze out excess liquid again before combining with goma ae dressing.

Step 9

Adding spinach to the goma ae dressing in the mortar and toss together with the sesame sauce.

Step 10

Serve immediately. *4

Step 11

Wash and trim the ends of the green beans and parboil the green beans for 2 minutes.

Step 12

Drain the water and cool the cooled green beans under the running water to avoid it being over cooked.

Step 13

Add the cooked green beans and toss together until the sesame sauce to coats the green beans well.

Step 14

Serve in a small bowl immediately.

Step 15

Wash the gobō burdock roots and scrub the skin with a back of a knife.

Step 16

Smash the burdock roots with a wooden pestle. This step makes the sesame sauce flavour penetrate well.

Step 17

Boil water with the vinegar to prevent oxidation and to remove any astringent taste. Add the prepared burdock and cook for about 5 minutes.

Step 18

Drain the water, and toss together with sesame sauce.

Step 19

Serve in a small serving dish.