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5.0 from 9 votes

Spinach Ohitashi (Japanese Spinach Salad in Dashi)

Enjoy something delicious and satisfying with this easy-to-make recipe.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Additional Time
1 hr 20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 35 mins
Servings: 4 portions
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

  • 200 g spinach
  • 240 ml dashi stock vegans and vegetarians can use plant-based dashi
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 2 liters water
  • 1 tbsp salt 1% the weight of cooking water
  • ice-cold water
  • bonito flakes optional garnish, replace with sesame seeds for plant-based diets

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Wash 200 g spinach, paying careful attention to the roots where sometimes dirt and sand can become lodged.
  2. Place the spinach in a bowl of cold water and rest for 10 minutes.
  3. Take a small saucepan and add 240 ml dashi stock, 2 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp mirin. Bring to a boil and let it bubble for 2 minutes before removing the pan from the heat. This base sauce is called "hitashi-ji" or "happo-ji".
  4. Heat 2 liters water in a separate pot and prepare a bowl of ice-cold water. Once the pot of water is boiling, add 1 tbsp salt (approx 1% weight of the water) and mix to dissolve. Drain the spinach and place it in the pot so that the stems are submerged but the leaves are poking out. Boil for 30 seconds.
  5. After 30 seconds, use tongs or chopsticks to press down the rest of the spinach, submerging the leaves. Blanch for 15 seconds.
  6. Immediately transfer the blanched spinach to the bowl of ice water and leave to chill for 10 minutes.
  7. Remove the spinach from the bowl after 10 minutes and gently squeeze out the water. Place them on a bamboo sushi mat and roll it tightly.
  8. Squeeze the sushi mat firmly over a sink to remove as much water as possible.
  9. Unroll the mat and place it on a flat surface with the spinach still in place. Pour 1 tbsp of the hitashi-ji over the spinach to remove any remaining water.
  10. Wrap the spinach with the sushi mat again and squeeze once more.
  11. Transfer the spinach to a lidded container and pour the remaining hitashi-ji over the top. If the spinach is not fully submerged, press plastic wrap directly over the surface. Cover with a lid and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, overnight if time permits.
  12. Cut off the stems and cut into bitesize pieces.
  13. Divide into serving bowls with a drizzle of hitashi-ji and a sprinkle of bonito flakes. Serve as a side dish with Japanese-style meals and enjoy!

Notes

  • Make the dish vegetarian/vegan by using shiitake and kombu dashi and sprinkling with sesame seeds instead of bonito flakes.
  • Keep leftovers refrigerated in the sauce and consume within 2-3 days.