Hot Japanese Spinach Salad

This hot spinach salad is inspired by Japanese ohitashi, where cooked greens get dressed in a soy-based sauce. Fresh spinach and mung bean sprouts wilt together in the microwave, then get tossed with a warm dressing of soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and toasted sesame seeds.

The microwave does the cooking in 5 minutes flat, and it actually works better than a stovetop here. The covered dish traps steam and wilts the spinach evenly without waterlogging it the way boiling does.

Mix the dressing while the vegetables cook so you can toss everything together the moment they come out. The warm greens absorb the flavors much better than cold ones would.

Pro Tips

• Wash and drain the spinach and bean sprouts thoroughly. Excess water dilutes the dressing.
• Stir the sugar into the vinegar and soy sauce until fully dissolved before pouring over the vegetables. Undissolved sugar creates gritty bites.
• Toss the vegetables midway through cooking for even wilting. The spinach on top stays raw while the bottom overcooks otherwise.
• Serve immediately. This salad loses its texture as it sits.

Variations

• Add a few drops of sesame oil to the dressing for a nuttier, richer flavor.
• Toss in thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms with the spinach before microwaving.
• Use rice vinegar instead of white vinegar for a softer, more rounded acidity.