International dishesSauces and DipsJapanAbout 15 minutes
This gives a smooth, thick dressing with a strong sesame aroma and salt and sweetness in balance. The difficulty is the sesame, since underroasted seeds leave the dressing smelling of nothing and an unfinished grind leaves it gritty.
The seeds are toasted over low heat until fragrant and slightly glossy, then ground thoroughly so they release their oil and thicken. The finer the grind, the smoother it pours over greens.
This batch weighs about 155g, at roughly 228 calories per 100g.
Method
Put 3 tablespoons sesame seeds in a dry pan and toast them over low heat until they smell fragrant and look slightly glossy. Tip them onto a plate to cool a little.
Grind the toasted sesame to a fine paste in a mortar or a blender. For a smoother dressing, keep grinding until the seeds release their oil and thicken.
In a small bowl, mix the ground sesame with 2 tablespoons Lean Mayo, 1 tablespoon Japanese shoyu, 1 tablespoon Japanese rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey or kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 2 tablespoons water.
Stir until the dressing is smooth and everything has come together.
Use it right away or pour it into a sealed jar, keep it in the fridge and use it within 5 to 7 days.
Tips
Toast the sesame over low heat and keep it moving, since burnt seeds turn the whole jar bitter.
Grind the sesame thoroughly until it releases its oil, which is what makes the dressing smooth rather than gritty.
Add the water a little at a time to set the thickness, as a salad dressing needs more body than one for cold noodles.
Honey is still a sugar, so measure the exact amount in the recipe.
Japanese rice vinegar can be swapped for local rice vinegar with the balance intact.
This dressing goes over vegetable salads, boiled greens, silken tofu, or cold noodles.
Need the monk fruit sugar or Lean Mayo?
These two are what kOBE cooks with in the recipe above. See the product page or send us a message.