Horenso Gomaae recipe needed

[maxmillan]

I've searched through the internet for an authentic recipe and find that the proportion of ingredients vary (spinach, sesame seeds, sake, sugar, etc.)

Can someone offer an authentic recipe?

Thanks.

[Hiroyuki]

There can be NO authentic recipes!! There can be as many recipes as there are Japanese! Some like it sweet, while others like me like it less sweet.

In one of his books, Yoshihiro Murata suggests this ratio:

1:1:1 for soy sauce, mirin, and goma

Thus, for 40 green beans, combine 50 ml each of soy sauce, mirin, and goma paste.

My recipe is:

For 1 bunch of spinach

4 tbsp white sesame seeds

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sugar

[sanrensho]

There can be NO authentic recipes!!  There can be as many recipes as there are Japanese!

I couldn't agree more. Foods like goma-ae, miso soup, curry rice and nimono epitomize home cooking, and vary greatly from household to household.

Just don't overcook the spinach!

Just to expand, an episode of Gatten (a TV show that often focuses on food topics) found that the umami of spinach steadily decreased when cooked for 30 seconds, 1 minute and 3 minutes respectively.

In fact, they observed that a farming household cooked their spinach for just 20 seconds (5 seconds stems only, another 15 seconds for the whole spinach) in plenty of boiling water.

Gatten link (in Japanese)

Edited June 27, 2008 by sanrensho (log)

[JasonTrue]

Actually I tend to give the spinach very little cooking time, because as soon as it touches boiling water it's pretty much done. Basically, just enough time in the water that it wilts. That basically means I push down the spinach into the pot so that everything is submerged. Then I remove it, drain, and try to cool it down as rapidly as possible; with ice if available, or cold water if not.

Some people prefer using acidulated water, which is just boiling water with a hint of vinegar and salt in it.

Goma-ae does taste better if you toast and grind your own sesame seeds.

[torakris]

I did a goma-ae recipe in my eGCI class on Japanese cooking, scroll to the 2nd recipe.

[nakji]

Actually I tend to give the spinach very little cooking time, because as soon as it touches boiling water it's pretty much done. Basically, just enough time in the water that it wilts. That basically means I push down the spinach into the pot so that everything is submerged. Then I remove it, drain, and try to cool it down as rapidly as possible; with ice if available, or cold water if not.

I give my spinach very little time in the water as well. I usually tong up some spinach, and dip it, stem first, in the boiling water. I give the stems about ten seconds in the water, then let the leaves fall. I pick them out almost immediately - when the green of the leaf begins to change slightly. I proceed in small batches until it's all cooked and draining, and I rinse with cold water, since I never seem to have any ice around. Ooh, I think I'll make it for dinner tonight.

[maxmillan]

I did a goma-ae recipe in my eGCI class on Japanese cooking, scroll to the 2nd recipe.

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Thanks to everyone for your suggestions and tips. I will use the above link to make my dish. I am pleasantly surprised to find that other vegetables can be used including root vegetables. This would be good to use on seasonal vegetables as I like to buy local produce.

I have another question. I found one recipe that uses sake and another that uses Hon Mirin. How are they different (or similar?)

[Hiroyuki]

I did a goma-ae recipe in my eGCI class on Japanese cooking, scroll to the 2nd recipe.

←

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions and tips. I will use the above link to make my dish. I am pleasantly surprised to find that other vegetables can be used including root vegetables. This would be good to use on seasonal vegetables as I like to buy local produce.

I have another question. I found one recipe that uses sake and another that uses Hon Mirin. How are they different (or similar?)

←

Sake is not sweet, while mirin (including hon mirin and mirin-like seasoning) are sweet.

Using sake and/or mirin should be avoided if you do not want your goma ae watery.

[JasonTrue]

A tiny splash of mirin won't typically make the goma-ae watery if it's added to the ground sesame seeds, at least if the blanched spinach has been squeezed a bit.

If you do prefer a bit sweeter version, you can also boil the dressing a bit before adding it, though it should cool again before using.

Sake is not sweet, while mirin (including hon mirin and mirin-like seasoning) are sweet.

Using sake and/or mirin should be avoided if you do not want your goma ae watery.

←