Chilled Okra with Salted Kelp

Ingredients

• 10 根 Okra (Choose small pods and wash them; slice them if desired—the cut surfaces will have a star shape.)
• 1 包 Enoki mushrooms (Trim off the root end and separate the mushrooms; the original recipe does not specify the package weight, so approximately 100 g is estimated.)
• 10 g Reduced-salt salted kelp (Adjust the amount to taste.)
• 1 茶匙 Soy sauce
• 1 茶匙 Sesame oil
• 0.5 茶匙 Sugar
• 1 茶匙 White sesame seeds (Sprinkle over the finished dish; adjust the amount to taste. The original recipe does not clearly specify the quantity, so approximately 3 g is estimated.)

Steps

1. 1

   Wash the okra. Trim the root end from the enoki mushrooms and separate them. The okra may be blanched whole or sliced first; when sliced, the cut surfaces form a cute star shape.

2. 2

   Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add the okra and enoki mushrooms and blanch until cooked. The okra should remain bright green and the enoki mushrooms should soften; avoid overcooking to preserve their texture.

3. 3

   Immediately transfer the blanched okra and enoki mushrooms to ice water and chill briefly to cool them quickly and keep them crisp.

4. 4

   Remove the okra and enoki mushrooms and drain thoroughly. Excess water will dilute the sauce and prevent the finished dish from absorbing enough flavor.

5. 5

   In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, and 0.5 tsp sugar. Stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved.

6. 6

   Place the drained okra and enoki mushrooms in a bowl with an appropriate amount of reduced-salt salted kelp. Pour in the prepared sauce and toss thoroughly. Adjust the ratio of salted kelp to sauce slightly according to taste.

7. 7

   Sprinkle with white sesame seeds and toss to combine, or use them as a garnish. Refrigerate before serving; the dish is more refreshing and appetizing when chilled.

Notes

Enoki mushrooms, salted kelp, and soy sauce are all naturally salty, so add a small amount of salted kelp first and adjust to taste. The finished dish is best served chilled. The original recipe does not clearly specify the amount of enoki mushrooms; this recipe estimates 1 pack, approximately 100 g.

Nutrition per serving

• side dish
• low-fat
• fat-loss meal
• vegetarian
• meat-free
• cold salad
• quick recipe
• easy cooking