This is always the best appetizer at sushi restaurants, and once you make it yourself, you’ll marvel at how easy it is. If I could keep the whole thing raw, I would, but there’s something about the squeaky texture of squishy, just-cooked spinach leaves that approximates the restaurant experience. The four-ingredient drizzle is an exercise in Zen-like simplicity—but has the complexity of days spent in the kitchen.
Makes 10 bundles
In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, tahini, coconut palm sugar (if using), and oil and reserve. Finely chop 2 cups of the spinach leaves and reserve.
Bring a large (at least 8-quart) pot of water to a boil. Just as the water comes to a boil, fill a large bowl with water and ice cubes to create an ice water bath. Submerge the remaining spinach in the boiling water and cook, stirring once or twice, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Using a large slotted spoon, remove the spinach from the boiling water and submerge it in the ice water bath until cooled, 1 to 2 minutes. Arrange a large kitchen towel (one you don’t mind potentially staining a lovely shade of green) on a work surface near your sink. Remove the spinach from the ice water bath, place it in the center of the towel, and fold the towel over the spinach, securing tightly. Over the sink, twist the ends of the towel toward the spinach-filled center, squeezing as tightly as you can to extract as much water as possible.
Roughly chop the wilted spinach, transfer to a large bowl, and toss with the reserved raw chopped spinach, the scallions, and 4 teaspoons of the gomasio. Pack a 1-inch round cookie cutter with some spinach mixture, then pop it out from the top onto a serving platter (if you don’t have the cookie cutter, form with your hands). Repeat with the remaining spinach. Drizzle the dressing on the spinach bundles and garnish with the remaining 2 teaspoons gomasio.