Spinach Gomae

Goma means sesame, and ae refers to dressing or combining food with a seasoned mixture. Spinach goma-ae therefore describes blanched spinach dressed with sesame.

Blanched spinach retains enough water to dilute the dressing and make the dish soggy. Cooling it, squeezing it gently, and cutting it into short lengths helps the sesame sauce cling.

A typical dressing combines ground toasted sesame seeds, soy sauce, and sugar. Some Japanese recipes add a small amount of mirin or dashi, but the three-part sesame mixture is the core.

It is usually served cool or at room temperature as a small Japanese side dish. The spinach is briefly blanched first, so it is cooked even though the finished dish is not served hot.