Simmered green vegetables with sesame dressing
“This is one of my all-time favourite ways to prepare seasonal vegetables – an absolute classic of Japanese home cooking, and with good reason: it’s ridiculously delicious.”
SERVES 4
200–300g tender green vegetables, such as green beans, asparagus, broccoli, runner beans or kale
about 500ml (2 cups) dashi, or water with a healthy glug each of soy sauce and mirin added
sesame sauce (available at Asian supermarkets)
pinch of toasted sesame seeds
Trim the vegetables of any stems or tough bits. Bring the dashi or seasoned water to a high simmer and add the veg; they should cook until just tender, retaining their colour and a bit of a bite. Check them after 5 minutes and then every minute or two after that until cooked to your liking. Drain and top with the sesame sauce and sesame seeds.
This is an edited extract from JapanEasy by Tim Anderson, published by Hardie Grant Books. RRP $60. Photography by Laura Edwards.