Japanese Sesame Spinach

Method

1. Prepare the sesame dressing

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you make the dressing. Add 30 g of toasted white sesame seeds to a mortar and grind until most of the seeds are cracked and fragrant but some remain whole. Stir in 15 ml of soy sauce (contains soy and wheat) and 8 g of granulated sugar until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture resembles a loose, grainy paste.

2. Blanch the spinach

   

   Fill a large bowl with very cold water. Rinse 300 g of fresh spinach well, keeping the leaves and stems together. Lower the stem ends into the boiling water for about 15 seconds, then submerge the leaves. Cook until the stems are just tender and the leaves have collapsed but remain bright green, checking at 45 seconds.

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3. Cool, squeeze, and cut

   Transfer the spinach immediately to the cold water and swish gently to stop the cooking. Gather the stems in one direction, lift the spinach out, and squeeze firmly in small handfuls until it no longer drips. Cut the compact bundle into 4 cm (1 1/2 in) lengths, then separate the pieces lightly with your fingers.

4. Dress and serve

   

   Add the spinach to the sesame dressing and lift and turn it gently until every piece is lightly coated. Taste a stem and a leaf together; add a few drops of water only if the dressing feels too stiff to spread. Arrange in a small serving bowl and spoon any sesame remaining in the mortar over the top.

Smart Substitutions

• No mortar? Pulse the sesame briefly in a clean spice grinder, stopping before it becomes a smooth paste.
• Need a wheat-free swap? Use tamari labeled gluten-free in place of standard soy sauce.
• Prefer it less sweet? Reduce the sugar slightly and taste after it dissolves; the dressing should still have a rounded savory-sweet balance.
• Using baby spinach? Blanch it only until wilted and bright green, beginning to check after 20 seconds.

Tips and Variations

• Keep the stem ends aligned during blanching so they can enter the water first and soften at the same rate as the leaves.
• Leave part of the sesame coarsely crushed; a completely smooth paste loses the characteristic speckled texture.
• Dress the spinach only after it is cool and thoroughly squeezed so the sesame mixture stays bold rather than watery.

What Went Wrong?

• Dressing slides off Squeeze the spinach again in small handfuls; excess water prevents the sesame mixture from clinging.
• Spinach feels stringy Blanch the stems first and cook until they bend easily while still retaining a little bite.
• Sesame flavor is weak Crush the seeds more thoroughly to release their aromatic oils, leaving only a small portion whole.
• The finished dish tastes too salty Fold in a little more blanched spinach or a few drops of water rather than adding more sugar.

Nutrition Estimate

• Fiber: 3 g per serving
• Sodium: 280 mg per serving

Nutrition disclaimer:This recipe is provided for general cooking information only. Nutrition values are estimates and may vary by ingredients, brands, preparation methods, and serving sizes. Check ingredient labels and follow appropriate food-safety practices. This content is not medical, dietary, allergy, or professional food-safety advice.

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