← Nouns Cooking · Japanese

Ingredients

• 250 g Green beans, trimmed
• 1 pinch Salt
• 3 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce
• 2 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp white miso (optional)

Method

1. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the beans for 2–3 min until bright green and tender-crisp.
2. Drain and plunge them into iced water to stop the cooking, then drain and pat very dry. Cut into 4 cm lengths.
3. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 1–2 min until they smell nutty, then grind them in a mortar until about half are crushed.
4. Mix the ground sesame with the soy sauce, sugar and miso into a thick paste.
5. Toss the beans with the dressing just before serving so they stay crisp.

Tips

• Grinding the sesame yourself is what gives gomaae its rich aroma; pre-ground sesame works in a hurry.
• The same dressing suits blanched spinach, broccoli, asparagus or carrots. Contains sesame and soy.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Japanese Cooking 101 Pickled Plum