Active Time

　　20 min

　　Total Time

　　20 min

　　Food editor Maggie Ruggiero became enamored of a sesame-dressed salad at Donguri, a Japanese home-cooking restaurant in New York City. This is her take on it. Because the sesame seeds are unhulled, they have a richness that flatters the freshness of spring vegetables—here, cool kohlrabi and sweet pea shoots.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

　　2 ounces snow-pea shoots, halved (2 cups)

　　3/4 pound trimmed kohlrabi bulbs

　　1/3 cup Japanese-style sesame seeds (not hulled), toasted

　　3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

　　2 teaspoons sugar

　　2 teaspoons mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)

　　1 tablespoon water

　　

Equipment:

an adjustable-blade slicer (fitted with julienne blade) or a julienne peeler; a suribachi (Japanese sesame-seed-grinding bowl) or an electric coffee/spice grinder

　　

Step 1

Bring 2 quarts water to a boil with 2 teaspoons salt, then quickly blanch pea shoots until color brightens, about 10 seconds. Drain immediately and transfer to a bowl of cold water to stop cooking. Drain and pat dry.

　　

Step 2

Peel kohlrabi bulbs with a small sharp knife, then cut into matchsticks with slicer. Toss together with shoots in a serving dish.

　　

Step 3

Finely grind sesame seeds in suribachi or grinder, then transfer to a bowl and stir in remaining ingredients. (Dressing will be thick; thin slightly with additional water if desired.)

　　

Step 4

Serve salad drizzled with some of dressing and serve remainder on the side.

　　Cooks' note:

　　• Salad and dressing can be made 1 day ahead and chilled separately, covered. If dressing is too thick to drizzle, thin with 1 teaspoon water.