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Hannah Che’s Blanched Spinach with Sesame Sauce

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time 25 minutes

Units Scale

Ingredients

Blanched Spinach

  • 1 pound (450 grams) bunched spinach
  • 3 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste, homemade (recipe below) or store-bought
  • 1 teaspoon pale rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons crushed peanuts, toasted pine nuts, or sesame seeds
  • Fresh red chile, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

Chinese Sesame Paste – Makes 1 1/2 cups

  • 1 1/2 cups (210 grams) raw white sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

Instructions

Blanched Spinach

  1. Thoroughly wash the spinach, soaking the stems and leaves in water and using your fingers to loosen any dirt and grit. Rinse and repeat until the water is free of dirt. Drain in a colander. Bring a wok or large pot of water to a boil.
  2. When the water reaches a rolling boil, add 1 ½ teaspoons of the vegetable oil and half the spinach and blanch until vibrant green and tender, 30 to 40 seconds. Remove the spinach from the water with a skimmer or slotted spoon and spread it out in a colander to drain. Bring the water back to a boil, add the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons vegetable oil, and repeat with the remaining spinach.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the sesame paste, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, salt, and sesame oil. Add just enough water (you can use the hot cooking water from the pot) to thin the sauce to a pourable consistency.
  4. When the spinach is cool enough to handle, gently press out the excess water until it’s not sopping wet. Lay out the pieces on a cutting board and cut them into 3-inch lengths. Pile the spinach in a serving dish, use a spoon to drape the sesame sauce on top, garnish with crushed peanuts and sliced red chile (if using), and serve

Chinese Sesame Paste

  1. Pour the sesame seeds into a dry wok or skillet and set it over medium heat. Cook, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes, until the seeds are fragrant and starting to pop. Continue to stir for 5 to 6 minutes more, until the popping sounds decrease and the sesame seeds have darkened to a golden color and crumble easily between your fingers. Pour the seeds onto a plate and let cool slightly.
  2. Place the warm sesame seeds in a food processor or high-speed blender. Pulse continuously for 5 to 6 minutes (if using a blender, start on low speed and then increase to high, and stir continuously with the tamper), until a crumbly paste forms. Stream in the sesame oil and process until the paste is smooth. Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

— Recipes reprinted with permission from The Vegan Chinese Kitchen by Hannah Che copyright © 2022. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.