Horenso No Goma Ae

Serves:

Ingredients:

1 lg Bunch of fresh spinach
--------- GOMA (SESAME DRESSING ---------
4 tb White sesame seeds
2 tb Sake (Japanese Rice Wine)
2 ts Sugar
1 tb Japanese soy sauce
1 ts Rice vinegar

Method:

This spinach dish is standard fare for a Japanese meal.
This dressing may also be used with a variety of other green vegetables, so don't hesitate to experiment.
IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN, heat and ignite the sake to cook off the alcohol.
Toast the sesame seeds in a ungreased skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until golden brown.
Stir occasionally.
Put the seeds into a suribachi (Japanese mortar) and crush into a paste.
(This can be ground in a food processor, however you will have to use at least twice the amount of sesame seeds.
) Add the sake, sugar, soy sauce and rice vinegar and blend thoroughly.
Remove from the suribachi and set aside while preparing the spinach.
In a large, tied bundle, wash and rinse the spinach in cold water.
Drain thoroughly.
In a wide saucepan, bring about 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil.
Cook the spinach until the leaves are barely wilted.
Remove spinach and refresh with cold water.
Squeeze dry of excess water.
Keep the spinach in a bundle and cut off and discard the large stems.
Cut the spinach into 1-inch pieces.
Add the sesame dressing to the spinach and mix gently.
Divide the spinach between 4 bowls and serve at room temperature or chilled.
Garnish with extra sesame seeds.