Since I was a child I’ve always liked all kinds of vegetables and – surprisingly – spinach has always been among my favourites. I guess it had to do with its bright green colour, anyway, at my home, no need for a Ludovico therapy of Popeye’s cartoons: I would have eaten spinach even if they weren’t rich in iron and vitamins…
Fast-forward 25 years and I’m still hungry for greens, so, when I read a recipe for “French Beans with Sesame Seeds” in the book 70 Classic Japanese Recipes by Masaki Ko, I knew I had to do something similar with spinach. Even though I did a couple of adjustments (like using tahini instead of roasting the sesame seeds, and replacing the dashi – I didn’t have time to prepare the stock – with a mix of rice vinegar and water), the result was really good!
Oriental-style spinach (serves 2):
500 gr. spinach (I used frozen)
2 Tbsp tahini
1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
50 ml boiling water
sesame seeds, to garnish
Put tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and water in a jar, screw on the lid and shake well. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, immerse the spinach for 2 minutes, and drain immediately. Rinse under cold running water, and drain. Gently squeeze out excess water, and place on a serving plate. Just before serving, pour dressing over spinach. Serve at room temperature, sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Gnam gnam!
the soul kitchenette 