Recipe: Japanese Sesame Dressing

Truth be told, I'm a reluctant salad eater.  Given a choice, I'd much rather have my greens stir-fried with garlic and sambal or stewed in a glorious pot of curry (a la sayur lodeh).  However, this current quest to eat healthier has given me a big ol' nudge to come up with salads that I actually enjoy. 

Even then, I have to admit that my tastes tend to be rather Asian-centric.  I'm quite blah about salads dressed in balsamic vinegar, vinaigrette or horrors, that thousand island monstrosity, while I'll happily chow down a giant load of greens if they're given a tasty dose of Japanese dressing.   I love them all - ponzu, miso and what-have-you, but my favourite is still goma or what is commonly known as sesame dressing.

In my quest for the perfect sesame dressing, I've scoured tons of online recipes and have finally settled on a version that I think, is pretty yummy.  If you're a reluctant salad eater like me, give this a try and it may just change your mind.  It's delicious on a garden salad, tossed with spinach, or even broccoli. 

Japanese Sesame Dressing  (adapted from Yummy Supper's version)

1/4 cup white sesame seeds, toasted till golden brown

2 tablespoons Mirin

1 tablespoon Ninben sauce (found alongside soy and other seasoning sauces in the Japanese supermarket, substitute with soy if not available)
1  tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil

2-3 tablespoons of canola or light olive oil

Optional: 1 teaspoon of sugar for a sweeter dressing

- Using a mortar and pestle, or food processor, blend all the ingredients till you get a creamy consistency.   Adjust seasonings to your taste, and toss with greens.

Makes 1 to 2 servings, keeps for a week in the fridge