Japanese · side
Spinach Goma-ae with Sesame Dressing
Video by Just One Cookbook on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Vegan
- Gluten-free with a swap: Use tamari instead of soy sauce to keep it gluten-free
- Nut-free
Contains: Gluten, Sesame, Soy. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
About 70 kcal a serve with more than two days' vitamin K, rich in folate and vitamin A, and a source of iron and magnesium from the spinach and sesame. Only a tablespoon of sugar for four serves and no added oil.
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Ingredients 7
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Grind the toasted sesame seeds in a mortar and pestle (suribachi), leaving some seeds whole for texture. 0:07
- Add the sugar, soy sauce, mirin and sake to the ground sesame and mix into a thick dressing. 0:21
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the spinach stem-side first and cook for 30–45 seconds. 0:43
- Lift the spinach into iced water to stop the cooking, then gather it up and squeeze out the water firmly. Cut into 1–2 inch (2.5–5 cm) lengths. 1:04
- Put the spinach in a bowl, add the sesame dressing and toss together. Serve at room temperature or chilled. 1:27
Tip. Try the same dressing on blanched green beans, broccoli or asparagus. Dress the spinach just before serving; it keeps a day in the fridge.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 4
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 30%
- Protein 19%
- Fat 51%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin K High221%
266 µg a serve, mostly from spinach (100%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Vitamin A High29%
258 µg a serve, mostly from spinach (100%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Folate High29%
115 µg a serve, mostly from spinach (93%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Magnesium Source18%
74 mg a serve, mostly from spinach (58%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Vitamin C Source17%
15 mg a serve, mostly from spinach (100%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Iron Source15%
2.7 mg a serve, mostly from spinach (55%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Vitamin B6 Source11%
0.2 mg a serve, mostly from spinach (62%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Calcium Source10%
130 mg a serve, mostly from roasted white sesame seeds (56%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Show the other 7
Potassium8%
370 mg a serve, mostly from spinach (83%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Zinc8%
0.9 mg a serve, mostly from roasted white sesame seeds (66%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin E8%
1.1 mg a serve, mostly from spinach (98%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Omega-37%
0.1 g a serve, mostly from spinach (73%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Selenium6%
3.2 µg a serve, mostly from roasted white sesame seeds (81%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin D0%
0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Vitamin B120%
0 µg a serve. Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Just One Cookbook; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.