Spinach and soybean salad with ginger dressing

When it comes to vegetable, what I miss most in England (or previously in Switzerland) is all kinds of Chinese leafy green vegetables which are not easily accessible in Europe. Luckily I can always bring a nice bunch of spinach home whenever I crave something green on the table. I adore its lovely earthy taste and its versatility. Recently, in our Red House,  spinach and soybean salad with ginger dressing has been a regular favourite.

The type of spinach used in Chinese dishes is usually savoy spinach, a variety which has dark green, wrinkled leaves (unlike baby spinach for example which has flat and smooth leaves). I prefer savoy spinach for its stronger “spinach” taste: earthy, nutty and slightly bitter. If you are familiar with savoy spinach, you might have also noticed that the stem has a hint of sweetness which I like very much. Speaking of stem, I’d like to share one of the fun memories from my childhood. My parents often cooked spinach and egg soup and I had great fun sipping the soup with the stem of the spinach. Because it’s hollow in the middle so it worked well as a straw!

Ingredients

• 300g / 10oz savoy spinach
• 70g / 0.5 cup fresh green soybeans

For the dressing

• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons black rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon pure sesame oil
• 1 drop honey

For the garnish

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon fresh chilli, chopped (optional)

Instructions

• Make the dressing first. Combine minced ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and honey in a small bowl. Mix well then set aside.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Place savoy spinach in (whole, the end cut off) then cook for 1 - 2 minutes (the stem should still be a bit crunchy). Take it out then cool under running water. Squeeze out the remaining water with your hands. Roughly chop it into bite size.
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full recipe : redhousespice.com

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