Addictive Shio Kombu Okra

Ingredients

• 8 okra (Source specifies 8–10 pods; use 8–10. Rub with salt, rinse, trim the stems, and cut each pod diagonally into 2–3 large pieces.)
• 5 g shio kombu (salted kelp)
• 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp mentsuyu, 2x concentrated
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• salt (As needed for rubbing the okra before rinsing.)
• water (Boiling water for cooking the okra, followed by cold water for cooling.)

Steps

1. 1

   Rub the okra all over with salt, then rinse it well.

2. 2

   Bring water to a boil. Add the okra and boil for about 1 minute, keeping it from overcooking so it retains its texture.

3. 3

   Transfer the boiled okra to cold water to cool it, then pat it thoroughly dry.

4. 4

   Trim the stems from the okra. Cut each pod diagonally into 2–3 large pieces.

5. 5

   Place the okra, shio kombu, white sesame seeds, mentsuyu, and sesame oil in a bowl.

6. 6

   Toss everything thoroughly until the seasonings are evenly distributed.

7. 7

   Let the dressed okra stand for about 5 minutes so the shio kombu flavor can blend into it, then serve.

Notes

Do not overboil the okra; approximately 1 minute preserves its texture. Large diagonal pieces provide a more substantial bite. The source does not specify the exact amount of water or a serving temperature.

Nutrition per serving

• side dish
• Japanese
• quick
• no-fry
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• sesame
• umami