Japanese cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Gobo Salad

Tender-crisp burdock root and carrot strips in a creamy sesame mayonnaise with a splash of vinegar.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 1 stalk of gobo (burdock root, or black salsify as a substitute)
• 2 carrots
• 4 tbsp rice vinegar
• 5 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise (Kewpie)
• 2 tbsp sesame paste (neri goma, or tahini as a substitute)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Scrape the burdock root with the back of a knife, cut into 5 cm long matchstick strips and place immediately in cold water with 2 tbsp rice vinegar; cut the carrots just as finely.
2. Bring water to a boil with 1 tbsp rice vinegar and a little salt and cook the burdock strips in it for 5 min., then add the carrots and cook for another 2 min. until everything is tender-crisp.
3. Drain the vegetables, refresh in cold water and spread out well on a towel to dry thoroughly so the sauce does not get watered down later.
4. Toast the sesame seeds dry for 2–3 min. until fragrant, and crush two-thirds of them coarsely in a mortar.
5. Stir mayonnaise, sesame paste, soy sauce, sugar, the remaining rice vinegar and the crushed sesame into a smooth sauce and season with salt and pepper.
6. Fold the cold vegetables in loosely, let sit for 20 min. and serve in small bowls sprinkled with the whole sesame seeds.