Ohitashi
- Author
- Christian Leue
- Servings
- 4
- Category
- Snack
Ingredients
- One dashi packet or a 3 inch-piece of kombu (if you'd like to make a vegan dish)
- 2-3 tsp soy sauce
- 1-2 tsp mirin (optional if you prefer a little sweetness)
- 2 bunches fresh spinach (preferably with roots still attached)
- Salt
- Yagenbori and/or sesame
Directions
- Heat 1 cup of water and the dashi packet or kombu in a small saucepan. Stop right before the water boils, allow to steep off of the heat for a few minutes, then strain. You can reserve the solids and re-use them (I like to slice the kombu thin and add it to salads or pickles, dashi packets can go in with veggies and scraps next time you make stock).
- Add soy sauce and mirin (optional) until you have a lightly salty and rich tasting broth. If you're using Yagenbori as a garnish add a bit less soy sauce as the Yagenbori has some salt.
- Prepare a bowl of ice water and heat a large pot of lightly salted water. Rinse your spinach thoroughly to remove any sand or dirt.
- Blanch the spinach, lower the bunches in stem-end first, allow to cook for about twenty seconds, then use a wooden spoon to push the leaves under. The spinach is fully blanched when bright green and tender-crisp (about another 45 seconds of cooking).
- Remove to the ice water and mix well to cool the spinach rapidly. Then squeeze any excess water out with your hands. Chop the spinach into 2-3 inch long pieces, and add them to a container with a cover.
- Pour the broth over the spinach and put it in the refrigerator. The flavor peaks after a few hours, and it will keep, covered, for 3 days, so this is a great way to use up spinach and give it a bit more life.
- To serve, remove however much spinach you'd like to eat to a bowl, top with a bit of the broth, then garnish with toasted sesame seeds and/or Yagenbori