5 Ingredients or Fewer

Turnip Green Gomae

by:
May 20, 2012
5
3 Ratings
Turnip Green Gomae
Photo by James Ransom
  • Serves 2 as an appetizer
Author Notes

I love the Japanese appetizer of spinach gomae, with its nutty, sweet, and salty sauce coating just-blanched greens. Lately I've been experimenting with using the same sauce on other greens, and I almost like it more with the sharp and bitter greens of baby turnips. —Fairmount_market

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons roasted black sesame seeds
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon mirin
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 1 bunch turnip greens (or beet greens or spinach)
Directions
  1. Smash the sesame seeds into a paste using a coarse mortar and pestle (a Mexican molcajete works well for this) or a spice grinder. Mix in the sugar, rice wine, and soy sauce.
  2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a bath of ice water. Rinse the greens, discard any wilted or discolored leaves, and trim off the thick stems. When the water is boiling, submerge the greens into the water for just under a minute and then quickly drain and toss into the ice water bath.
  3. Wait a minute and then drain the cooled greens, wringing out excess water. Lay the greens on a cutting board. Chop the greens into 1-inch strips. Toss with the sesame sauce and serve.
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  • Fairmount_market
    Fairmount_market
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  • homecookin
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Fairmount_market
I'm a biology professor and mother of two, and in my (limited) free time I love to cook, which is much more forgiving than laboratory science. Last year I helped start a farmers market in my neighborhood, and to promote it, I created a food blog: fairmountmarket.blogspot.com. I enjoy the challenge of coming up with recipes for local, seasonal ingredients and finding fun ways to cook with my children.

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3 Reviews

judy
judy February 3, 2017
I think this could be one without the hot water/ice water step. I do this in a frying pan all the time. Satuee the the seeds in a little oil and the mirin and and soy sauce, then add the greens and stir until wilted. I use rice wine vinegar when I don't have mirin. Both work, slightly different flavor profile. Been doing this for years. tonight I will do with beet greens. Anf hsve roasted beet tossed in a sauce of the same incrredients plus a little granulated garlic. SOOO good. Thanks for the reminder.
 
homecookin
homecookin September 18, 2014
Made this last nigt after accidently got a bag of turnip greens instead of collards :)
It was deicious! What a great sauce, will def. make this again for any random greens I get at farmer's market. Thanks!
 
Fairmount_market
Fairmount_market May 22, 2012
thanks sdebrango! It's important to get the sesame seeds well ground, and then they create a wonderfully rich and nutty sauce.