Asparagus with Miso Dressing (Karashi Sumisoae)
User Reviews
4.8
Asparagus with Miso Dressing (Karashi Sumisoae)
Description
This recipe features two parts: a miso-based dressing and blanched asparagus. The dressing combines white miso paste and sugar which are mixed until smooth, then rice vinegar and karashi mustard are added to balance sweetness, acidity, and a slight heat. The asparagus is trimmed and cut into spears and smaller pieces for texture variation.
Blanching the asparagus in salted boiling water just until bright green and crisp-tender, followed by immediate ice water shock, retains its vibrant color and fresh bite. The dressing is then combined separately, allowing the flavors to meld before serving. This results in a chilled dish with layers of creamy miso sweetness, tang from vinegar, and mustard spice that enhances the natural vegetal flavor of the asparagus.
The dish works well as a side to richer or grilled meals, adding freshness and a subtly complex flavor. Preparing the dressing beforehand and the quick blanching process make it convenient for home cooking. Precision in timing the blanch and the thickness of asparagus pieces ensures balanced texture in the final dish.
Ingredients
- 8 oz asparagus 12 pieces, spears
For the Miso Dressing (Sumiso)
- 2 Tbsp white miso (I used Hikari Miso Organic White Miso)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar unseasoned
- ⅛ tsp karashi mustard Japanese hot mustard
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
To Make the Miso Dressing
- In a small bowl, mix 2 Tbsp white miso and 1 Tbsp sugar really well until the sugar is dissolved. Then, add 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned) and ⅛ tsp Japanese karashi hot mustard to combine. Set aside.
To Blanch the Asparagus
- Cut off the bottom ends of 8 oz asparagus spears. (You can also snap them off with your fingers or shave them with a vegetable peeler. For a clean presentation, I trimmed the bottoms with a knife.) Then, chop the asparagus into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces. Keep the spears and tips separated as we will blanch them separately.
- Bring a large pot of water (5 cups) to a boil and add 1 tsp salt. Add the asparagus stems and cook for 1 to 1½ minutes.
- Then, add the asparagus tips to cook for another 1 minute, or until bright green and crisp-tender.
- Drain the water (or pick up the asparagus with a strainer) and shock in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process to bring out the beautiful green color. Once cooled, drain well and pat dry with a paper towel.
To Serve
- Neatly arrange the asparagus stems in serving bowls and place the tips on top. Drizzle with miso dressing before you serve. I put salt-pickled cherry blossoms on top as a garnish.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 26 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 26kcal | 1% |
| Carbohydrates | 5g | 2% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 160mg | 7% |
| Potassium | 124mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 432IU | 9% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 16mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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