Ohitashi (Japanese Boiled Spinach Salad)

Posted by Judy | Bebe Love Okazu on September 8, 2010 in Announcements, Baby's Food, Blog, Family Favorites, Japanese Cuisine Favorites, Salad, Toddler, Vegetables & Vegetarian | 17 comments

As a kid, eating spinach at our house meant that my mom made ohitashi. Although she used spinach in dishes such as chawan mushi or shabu-shabu, we never ate sautéed spinach the way Bebe Dada likes to make it (yet another post for the future).

Ohitashi is a simple, healthy and refreshing dish.  It’s perfect for a hot summer day, and believe me, it has been HOT over the past two weeks in So. Cal, but it definitely seems like it has cooled off. I might even go so far as to say it’s been a little cold!

I often enjoy making ohitashi as a side dish when I cook Japanese food for dinner – – – with grilled fish, miso shiru, a small green salad and gohan.  This is exactly the type of simplistic dinner menu that my mom made when I was growing up. Ohitashi also goes well with soboro don and other Japanese donburi (see category on right for additional donburi ideas).

I’m going to keep this post short today (shocking, I know) but I’d like to share a picture from a recent visit to the merry-go-round at South Coast Plaza.

Bebe E was afraid of the horses (they actually have unfriendly facial features) so we sat on a bench together but she refused to sit on my lap or sit next to me. She would only stop fussing if I hugged her close to me. I’m not sure if it was the motion of the merry-go-round or the lights, plastic horses, music, or combination thereof, but she certainly didn’t seem to enjoy it as much as I thought she would. She was mesmerized by the merry-go-round as we watched other children ride it, and she even reached out to it, before AND after we rode it as if she wanted to ride it (again). I imagine the merry-go-round is a ‘thrill-seeking’ ride for children, much in the same way that roller coasters are scary, yet fun, for adults.

In case any of you were wondering what the “Top Mom” reference meant in the title of today’s ohitashi post, I am very proud to announce that Priscilla from She’s Cookin’ selected me as her guest blogger and Top Mom of the Month for September!

I’ve never been a guest blogger for anyone but I am particularly proud to be Priscilla’s guest, and very honored that she reads my blog. She featured my Okinawa dango post. Priscilla is an editor for a local print magazine, OC Family and she has a number of wonderful recipes and features on local eateries in Orange County, CA on her blog, She’s Cookin’. Please take a moment to visit her blog and read what she’s cookin’ in her kitchen and eating around town, AND especially about little ol’ me, Top Mom! Thank you, Priscilla!

Ohitashi

• 1 bunch of spinach
• Katsuo bushi (dried bonito flakes)
• Dashi shoyu (seasoned soy sauce) or shoyu (soy sauce) to taste

At the asian supermarkets you can sometimes find spinach with their roots attached.  I prefer this over the spinach typically found with the roots cut off.  I think it’s because this is the type of spinach my mom always bought.

For dishes such as shabu-shabu, my mom would trim the little root hairs at the end, but she would keep the violet portion of the root attached.  I like the “meatiness” of this part of the spinach.

1) Bring water to a boil in a medium pot.  This step is important – – – lay all of the spinach in one direction, roots all on one end, all leaves on the other end. Add spinach to the pot arranged in this way, with roots all in one direction.

2) Cook for 3 minutes until tender.  Transfer immediately to a colander and run under cold water.

3) Gently squeeze excess water from the spinach, then cut spinach into 1 inch blocks. By keeping all the spinach in one direction you get beautiful ohitashi, and you’ll find that most all ohitashi (at least at good Japanese restaurants) will be served to you this way. This is how my mom makes it and how I am used to seeing it presented when I eat this. I’m not an ‘ohitashi snob’. This is just how it is with this dish.

Serve spinach on a plate, and top with katsuo bushi.  Season spinach with shoyu (soy sauce) or dashi shoyu. While I typically use regular shoyu, occasionally I’ll use the following dashi shoyu for variety.

Bebe Dada is not a fan of katsuo bushi, but I grew up on dried bonito flakes and I absolutely love it. My uses it for yudofu and hiyayakko (cold tofu) I used to think it was fun to eat because it was like eating paper with flavor. For Bebe Dada, I serve ohitashi plain without katsuo bushi and it still tastes great.

Itadakimasu!

Judy | bebe mama