Ohitashi

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 1 pound leafy green vegetables, such as curly spinach, watercress, Swiss chard, turnip or beet greens, or bok choy, washed well
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1/4 cup soy sauce, preferably usukuchi soy sauce
• 3/4 to 1 cup homemade or instant dashi
• Bonito flakes or sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions

1. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set it nearby. Bring a medium or large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the greens and cook until tender, about 1 to 2 minutes, depending on which greens you’re using. Move them straight into the ice bath so they stop cooking and cool quickly.
2. While the greens cool, add the mirin and soy sauce to a small saucepan. Warm over medium-high heat just until the mixture simmers, then take it off the heat. Stir in 3/4 cup (175ml) dashi, taste, and loosen it with more of the remaining dashi if you want a gentler flavor. Set the marinade aside until fully cool.
3. Drain the greens well. With your hands, squeeze out as much excess water as you can, then place the greens in a container. Pour the dashi marinade over them and toss so everything is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours.
4. Place the greens on one serving plate or divide them among individual plates. You can line them up neatly, shape them into a compact cylinder, or simply pile them loosely. Spoon a little of the dashi marinade over the top, finish with bonito flakes or sesame seeds, and serve.