Tatsoi, pak choi and other Asian greens, which are a bit tough and chewy, a bit assertive in flavor – what can you do with them? As it turns out, lots of quick and delicious things. They’re wonderful in a stir-fry, where they hold up to cooking. They’re also perfect for a quick Japanese-style cold salad – let’s call it chilled greens with ginger & sesame.
This particular salad scales up and down quite well: I’ve used a half of a small head of tatsoi with 1/2 the dressing amount, or you can use quite a large amount of the greens. This tastes wonderful as a side dish, and is cool and refreshing.
adapted from the NY Times
- 1 head tatsoi leaves, cut crosswise into 1 inch slices – about 1/2 lb
For dressing:
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar (not seasoned)
- 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp Sriracha sauce or to taste (optional)
To garnish:
- 1-2 Tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and fill a large bowl with ice and water. Cut the tatsoi leaves in thick strips, and dump them all at once into the boiling water. Time – exactly 1 minute – then remove the leaves to the ice water to stop the cooking.
While the tatsoi cools, assemble the dressing – simply mix the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, ginger, sugar, and Sriracha in a large bowl. Drain the tatsoi leaves, squeeze them dry, and add them to the dressing. Toss vigorously to mix well. Chill at least 1/2 hour and up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
At serving time, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
Chilled Greens with Ginger & Sesame
Ingredients
- 1 small head tatsoi, or pak choi, cut crosswise into 1-inch slices (about ½ lb)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar (not seasoned)
- 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp Sriracha sauce, or to taste
- 1-2 Tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and fill a large bowl with ice and water. Cut the tatsoi leaves in thick strips, and dump them all at once into the boiling water. Time – exactly 1 minute – then remove the leaves to the ice water to stop the cooking.
- While the tatsoi cools, assemble the dressing – simply mix the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, ginger, sugar, and Sriracha in a large bowl.
- Drain the tatsoi leaves, squeeze them dry, and add them to the dressing. Toss vigorously to mix well. Chill at least 1/2 hour and up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
- At serving time, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.