Haricots Verts Gomae
Haricots Verts Gomae
About this Recipe
In Japanese, goma means sesame seeds, which have a high oil content, giving them a rich, bold, and nutty flavor. Unhulled (black) and hulled (white) sesame seeds frequently appear in condiments and seasonings such as furikake and shichimi (a mix of seeds, spices, and/or dried seaweed); as garnish for salads, vegetables, and sushi; and in sweets such as ice creams and cakes. Gomae combines the word goma and a form of the verb aeru — to dress vegetables, salads, and other dishes. Spinach or green bean gomae are popular versions, tossed with a sauce of sesame seeds, soy sauce, sake, mirin, and a little sugar. This version boosts the acidity with rice wine vinegar and lemon juice.
The Benefits
Hulled sesame seeds have good plant protein content and are rich in fiber; some studies say they help in reducing cholesterol and triglycerides. French green beans offer vitamins K, A and C and fiber and folic acid. Fermented add ons like soy sauce and mirin make this dish both healthy and delicious.
Note: This salad depends on the quality of your sesame seeds. Because they’re high in oil, the seeds must be as fresh as possible (if stale or rancid, they will be bitter).
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 2/3 lb (300 g) haricots verts (thin French green beans), trimmed
- 1/2 cup (52 g) white sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp (7 ml) rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp (15 ml) mirin
- 1 Tbsp (12.5 g) fine sugar, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste
Directions
-
Step 1
Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil and add the green beans. Reduce the heat to a strong simmer and cook the green beans until bright green and just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse in a colander under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside. -
Step 2
Toast the sesame seeds in a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent the seeds from burning. Toast until golden brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the sesame seeds to a mortar (such as a traditional Japanese suribachi) and grind the seeds with a pestle until you have a coarse paste. -
Step 3
Stir in the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, mirin, sugar, and sesame oil until thoroughly combined. The sesame sauce should have the texture of a coarse slurry. You can adjust the texture with a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning. -
Step 4
Put the green beans in a large bowl and add the sesame sauce. Toss to coat thoroughly and serve immediately. Any leftovers will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 2 days.
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About the author
Betty Hallock
Betty is a writer and editor: A journalist who formerly worked at the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and Los Angeles magazine, she also has co-authored four cookbooks. Her favorite meal for as long as she can remember has been ochazuke — rice with tea and pickled plum.
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