... and the best 'Zen lunch' guaranteed to do the same for me.
A lovely toasty sesame salt to sprinkle over plain rice, green vegetables, roast chicken and more. And a really good easy soy and sesame sauce that is great on plain steamed veg.
First, the sesame salt, which will keep for a week or two in an airtight container.
All you need is:
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
Heat a frying pan over a medium-low heat, add the sesame seeds and salt and toast until golden brown, stirring or shaking the pan constantly. It will take maybe five minutes.
If you've got more time, the flavour will be even better drawn out more slowly, toasted over a very low heat for perhaps 10-15 minutes.
Once toasted, crush in a mortar or grind in a spice mill and transfer to a jar.
The lovely soy and sesame sauce is even easier and you need just these few store cupboard ingredients:
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce (if you only have light soy then stir in a teaspoon of brown sugar to dissolve before using)
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
4 teaspoons white or rice vinegar
Mix it all together in a bowl. Any left over will keep covered in the fridge for a few days.
And then - for me today - it all comes together in one restorative, soothing 'Zen lunch' of steamed rice and broccoli with the sauce spooned over and topped with some sesame salt.
All is well.
