Goma-ae is a lovely Japanese side dish made up of a nutty sesame seed sauce poured over lightly cooked green vegetables. If possible, use freshly toasted sesame seeds. The aroma as you grind them in your mortar will win you over!
Which Vegetables?
The most common version of this dish, at least in North America, is ほうれん草の胡麻和え (spinach goma-ae), using blanched spinach. Other versions I have come across include:
- いんげんの胡麻和え : green bean goma-ae
- 春菊の胡麻和え : chrysanthemum leaf goma-ae, using the leaves from the flowering plant Glebionis coronaria (also called crown daisy or edible chrysanthemum)
- 小松菜の胡麻和え : komatsuna goma-ae. Komastuna (Brassica rapa var. perviridis), also called Japanese mustard spinach, is a leafy cruciferous vegetable belonging to the same species as turnips, bok choy, rappini, napa cabbage and mizuna (see below)
- 水菜の胡麻和え : mizuna goma-ae. Mizuna, or Japanese mustard greens, are delicate green leaves that taste not unlike arugula, although slightly milder. They also belong to the wide-ranging cruciferous species Brassica rapa. (The varietal name is niposinica)
Komatsuna (left) and mizuna (right)
For today’s recipe, I used organic chrysanthemum leaves from Umi Nami Farm, and added a bunch of red kale that I already had on hand.
You can, however, substitute with any green vegetable you can get your hands on. Chard, arugula, collard and other types of kale would also all work well for this dish. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time to your vegetable of choice.
Organic Edible crysanthemum leaves (春菊) from Umi Nami Farm
Joëlle
A simple and delicious way to eat your greens! Goma-ae is a lovely Japanese side dish made up of a nutty sesame seed sauce poured over lightly cooked green vegetables.
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Ingredients
- 1 bunch chrysanthemum leaves
- 1 bunch red kale leaves
- 3 tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp sake
Instructions
- Grind toasted sesame seeds in a mortar and pestle until coarsely ground. Add the rest of the dressing ingredients and mix. Set aside.
- Cut the stems off the chrysanthemum leaves, and cut the leaves crosswise into thirds or quarters.
- Remove the kale leaves from their tough stems, and tear them into bite-sized pieces.
- Put chrysanthemum and kale leaves into a steamer basket.
- Bring water to a boil and steam leaves for 2 minutes. Remove the steamer basket and let it cool down.
- Squeeze the water from the leaves and put them into a serving bowl.
- Pour dressing over the leaves, mix well and serve. いただきます！
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