This thick Japanese style of dressing is my absolute favourite! I’m actually not a big fan of salad but I can eat lots of salad with this dressing. When preparing it, do not be scared to cut the tofu on your palm! It will help you keep the shape of the tofu.
Ingrediants - Serves 4
1 packet (300g (10½oz) silken tofu
200g (7oz) mixed salad leaves
2 tablespoons dried wakame
½ teaspoon sesame oil
pinch of salt
Sesame dressing
2 tablespoons white sesame
2 tablespoons onion, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons carrot, roughly chopped
1 small clove garlic, grated finely
½ cup neutral oil
2 tablespoons brown rice or rice vinegar
60ml (2fl oz) soy sauce
1 tablespoon unrefined sugar
1. Leave silken tofu on a plate or strainer for half an hour to drain naturally.
2. To prepare the sesame for dressing, toast the white sesame seeds in a dry frying pan on a medium heat until golden. Cool down and grind. Keep one teaspoon of sesame for wakame.
3. To make the dressing, place the rest of the sesame, chopped onion, carrot, grated garlic, oil, vinegar, soy sauce and sugar in a blender and blend well.
4. To prepare the wakame, place wakame in warm water until reconstituted (soft) and drain. If there are any stalks of wakame, remove it then cut the wakame into small pieces.
5. Heat a frying pan with sesame oil, place wakame in and fry. Add one teaspoon of roasted and ground sesame and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
6. To serve, place the salad mix in a bowl, then cut the tofu into small cubes on your palm and arrange them around the salad leaves. Arrange the wakame over the top, and then pour dressing over the salad.
Tip
Gluten-free option: Use tamari instead of soy sauce.
You can keep this dressing for three months in most fridges.
Silken tofu is quite fragile so if you cut it on a chopping board and try to move it, it will fall apart. Cut it on your palm whenever you cut silken tofu so that it can keep its shape.