Spinach Gomae (Horenso No Gomae)

I love to order spinach gomae when I eat in a Japanese restaurant. I’ve been making it at home for a while now, and I love how easy and delicious it is.

I’ve tried a few recipes, which were all good, but I’ve lost track of them. So here’s the one I made most recently. It comes from a recipe by chef Takashi Mizukami of the Dirty Apron Cooking School, and was published in the Vancouver Sun newspaper.

My favourite thing to make with Spinach Gomae is Tuna Sashimi. So delicious!

The recipe is for two people.

What you need:

• 400 grams spinach, washed
• 6 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds
• 3 tablespoons sake
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

What you do:

1. Toast the sesame seeds and grind them in a mortar and pestle or electric grinder.
2. Combine the sesame seeds in a bowl with the sake, sugar and soy sauce.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add some salt.
4. Optional: if you are going to use an ice bath, get that ready first. The rest happens quickly.
5. Gather a bundle of spinach together and dip the stems in the boiling water for about 15 seconds, then let the whole bunch fall into the water, submerging for 10 more seconds. Remove the spinach with tongs and quickly place it under cold running water or submerge it in an ice bath. The cooling will prevent it from overcooking.
6. Once the spinach has cooled, arrange the spinach so the stems are aligned, and then squeeze out the excess water.
7. Arrange on a serving plate and pour the sauce over top.
8. Enjoy!