Recipe: Sesame Dipping Sauce for Steamed Vegetables
Steamed purple broccoli with sesame sauce, crunchy garlic and sesame seeds.
In the same vein as the very simple three–ingredient glaze that I posted, here is a deliciously healthy, umami-laden sauce to dress up steamed vegetables. It’s based on a regional Western Chinese sauce using sesame paste, often used in a cold vegetable dish like long beans or cucumbers. There is a Japanese version of this sauce too, and you may see it on a chilled silken tofu called hiyayakko.
The ready–to–buy Japanese sesame dressings such as those by Kewpie or Kikkoman tend to be expensive. They also often contain sugar and egg or fish sauce, which is not vegan–friendly. My hack? Using tahini, of course!
I love to eat steamed vegetables. It’s the best way to retain their nutrients without having to use any oil (unless you eat them raw – which can be problematic for some stomachs). If steamed veggies sound unappetising, then this easy sauce is the ultimate ‘spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down’.
Let me know if you try this recipe and share your results on Instagram with #CelestialPeach.
Ingredients
Tahini
Light soy sauce
Sweet rice wine (try a Japanese mirin like this one)
Water
Instructions
Measure out the four ingredients in equal quantity, and whisk together until smooth.
If you want your sauce a little thicker, start with less water and add according to preference.
Drizzle over cold or hot steamed vegetables, or use as a dip for crudités.
Enjoy.
