Goma-ae Japanese greens

• fine green beans↗200g g

  trimmed

• spinach↗250g g
• sesame seeds↗4 tbsp tbsp

  toasted

• soy↗1 tbsp tbsp
• caster sugar↗1 tbsp tbsp
• white miso↗1 tbsp tbsp
• mirin↗1 tbsp tbsp
• gomashio

  (salted sesame seeds), to serve (optional, available from amazon.co.uk)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Get a bowl of iced water ready. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the green beans and cook for 2-3 mins until bright green but still crunchy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the beans and plunge them into the ice water. Add the spinach to the boiling water and cook for 20-30 secs, then remove and add to the ice water. Once cool, drain the greens in a sieve over the bowl and set aside for 5 mins so that all the water drips out of them.

2. 2

   Make the dressing by grinding the sesame seeds with a pestle and mortar or spice grinder, then mix in the other ingredients. Toss the greens in the dressing, top with the gomashio, if using, and serve.