Sesame and Soy Sauce Vinaigrette

At first glance, putting down a salad dressing recipe may seem ridiculous. However, whenever I observe people preparing it, everyone uses different proportions and/or ingredients. For years I had been preparing mine traditionally, fiddling with the variations of the French vinegar/lemon+oil+mustard/garlic way, but as soon as I started to experiment with soy sauce and other Japanese products, my favourite – though not the only one – vinaigrette has changed. I still call it vinaigrette since it keeps – albeit vaguely -the main vinaigrette’s rules: something fat+something acid+something strong and salty. Apart from the evident Japanese touch, my favourite dressing is not in the dense, heavy, dripping from the spoon sauce category. It is extremely light, in terms of look, taste and fat content.

Even though it is not a strictly Japanese recipe, both the soy sauce and the vinegar must be Japanese. The Chinese are simply too strong. Of course the proportions can be adjusted to your personal taste.

Special equipment:

(for me a very small jar or plastic container with a lid is very handy in the sauce shaking step, but of course not necessary)

Preparation: 5 minutes

Ingredients (serves 2):

leaves from half a small iceberg salad torn into pieces (or the equivalent of any green salad leaves)

3 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce (or more if using the low-sodium sauce)

2 tablespoons Japanese rice vinegar

3 tablespoons grilled sesame seeds

2 tablespoons oil (strangely olive oil works here as well as sesame oil, but the taste will be completely different)

Put all the ingredients – apart from the sesame seeds – in a small jar. Close it tightly, shake it and combine with the salad in the serving bowl.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds.