Toasted Sesame Seed Dressing
Toasted Sesame Dressing
Our dinner table has acquired a much anticipated Japanese aesthetic.
The new Japanese cookbooks in my library and the stock of Japanese groceries in my pantry have led to a cooking exploration that’s gained momentum with each delicious dish. While we’ve enjoyed the soups, chicken, fish and noodle dishes I’ve served, it’s the simple vegetable accompaniments and their interesting dressings that have been the show stoppers.
Ground roasted sesame seeds seasoned with mirin, tamari and a touch of garlic make simple steamed greens a meal in themselves. I’ve dressed warm broccoli, green beans and wilted spinach with this toasty tasty topping and we’ve loved each and every one. I think this sesame dressing would also beautifully complement carrots, roasted eggplants, even roast pumpkin. I can even visualize it as a dressing on a summer chicken salad, with crisp raw snow peas, and maybe a squeeze of lime juice.
If you love the flavour of toasted sesame seeds, you’ll enjoy this recipe.
Toasted Sesame Dressing for green vegetables
(Adapted from the Japanese Kitchen by Kamiko Barber)
500g of steamed green vegetables
6 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon garlic infused olive oil
2 tablespoons mirin
3 tablespoons tamari
cold water
Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan until golden.
Grind the seeds to a rough paste in a mortar or processor then add the remaining ingredients.
Stir in a little cold water to make the dressing dolloping consistency.
Spoon the dressing generously over steamed green vegetables.
This amount will dress approximately 500g of veg.
Store any unused dressing in the fridge.
About ladyredspecs
28 comments on “Toasted Sesame Seed Dressing”
Leave a comment
Creative Commons Copyright Licence
Please Pass the Recipe by Sandra Gay is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Please Pass the Recipe 
This really does sound good and what a great way to use it: over green beans. Looks yummy. Love, too, your mortar and pestle. Mine is far too small and I’ve been looking at some very much like the one you’ve pictured.
LikeLike
This looks so delicious and versatile!
LikeLike
Not only delicious and versatile, but cheap and quick to make! Enjoy….
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am really glad to see this. I am a huge on putting out dressings, dips, toppings and garnishes. This is unlike any I have made before. And to hear you have had it every week for the past six weeks it must be really delicious. We love Japanese cuisine and it is on our bucket list too, one day…. đŸ™‚
LikeLike
Sounds delicious and tasty dressing!!!
i just roast a cauliflower and i really hope i had your sesame dressing….
LikeLike
This sesame dressing would be delicious on roasted cauliflower, next time maybe…
LikeLike
Very tasty. I make a similar dressing, especially for beans, the same idea but different, to coin a phrase. I became addicted to this dressing in Japan, where it is sold in large bottles. The home made one is much tastier.
LikeLike
Sadly I’ve never travelled to Japan, hopefully one day I’ll get to experience the real food, in situ
LikeLike
It is not to be missed. Sensory overload, polite people, stunning natural beauty and then there is the food….
LikeLike
You have given me two wonderful new recipes in the one week – thanks!! Love sesame seeds but have never made a dressing like this: am about to do so for lunch to on top of some steamed beans on the agenda anyways đŸ™‚ ! Business took me to Japan over 30 times in bygone years . . . absolutely love the country tho’ my palate mostly hankers after other Asian foods đŸ™‚ ! The Kyoto-style classic food methinks you would enjoy as well as the absolutely beautiful way of plating . . .
LikeLike
This foray into preparing Japanese food is new for me. I love all Asian cuisines, but I’m discovering the quality difference between homemade and Aussie Japanese restaurants. Hopefully one day i’ll get to experience the real thing, in Japan
LikeLike
Thanks, I will give that a try.
LikeLike
Great idea! Where did you get your mortar & pestle? I have one that I got at William Sonoma (looks like yours, sort of, but fought). When I use it, the grit of the rock gets in my food. This only began happening after a year of use. Do you have a similar problem? I miss using it but each time I try again, it does the same thing.
LikeLike
I bought my mortar in Costco of all places, it was a cheapie. It came with instructions to grind coarse salt in it, batch after batch until the salt stayed white after grinding. That might help clean the loose grit off the surface Stacey, I’d give it a go….
LikeLike
Simple and delicious! My mother went through a long Chinese phase and our whole house always smelled like dried fish parts!
LikeLike
Thanks Mimi. Your Mum sounds like she was quite an adventurous cook. My Mum hated cooking and what she did prepare was very plain. My Dad on the other hand opened my eyes to the wider world….
LikeLike
I must say, as a reader I feel excited to be a witness and benefitter of your Japanese cookings…. (sorry, terrible sentence but you know what I mean đŸ™‚ )
LikeLike
yes, I know what you mean! I’m often tongue tied….
LikeLike
Like sesame seeds, love your simple recipe.
LikeLike
Thanks Mary. I first tried this about 6 weeks ago and we’ve had it every week since. It’s so quick and super delicious!
LikeLike
Brilliant – son loves anything Japanese but really struggles with beans (too squeaky no matter how long I cook them for) – this may take the focus off the squeak and on the taste – it sounds delicious!!
LikeLike
Oh it is delicious Selma, and so easy. I hope you can persuade your son to enjoy beans covered in toasted sesame dressing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just got a big bag of green beans from the growers market so looks like they may be earmarked for this treatment over the weekend. Big fan of Japanese food, well, all food really. Ha.
LikeLike
it’s a fine line for me too, eat to live or live to eat! Enjoy the sesame dressing on your fresh beans…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! Just in time for this evening’s supper. Have been wracking my brains on how to serve green beens (which I love) to (at best) indifferent or (at worst) picky, critical eaters. They love anything sesame, so this might do the trick. Plus, all the ingredients are sitting right there in my pantry!
LikeLike
I love green beans too. Hope you can win your fellow diners over with the sesame dressing….
LikeLike
Have just returned from Japan – I’m in love! Their food is my very fav. Love the idea of this dressing.
LikeLike
The sesame dressing is delicious. Japan is on my travel bucket list, one day…..
LikeLike