One of my favourite salad is the Horenso Salad at Gyu Kaku, raw spinach leaves with sesame dressing. Eager to make the dressing at home, we went online to search for the ingredients and found out its pretty simple to make!

It’s really trial and error to suit your taste and desired consistency. But it’s really made out of just 3 ingredients.

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp roasted white sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp Shoyu (soy sauce)
• 1 tbsp sugar, to suite your palate
• 1tbsp water, to suit your desired consistency

Optional

• 1 tbsp mirin (sweet sake)
• tsp mayonnaise

Preparation

1. If you bought raw sesame seeds, toast them on a skillet until brown and stir frequently so it won’t burn
2. Crush sesame seeds in a mortar, or just use a food processor.
3. Mix the shoyu, sugar and water with the ground sesame seeds to form the dressing for the salad.
4. Optional to add mirin or mayonnaise. The latter just gives a creamier texture.

Horenso Salad

Toss baby spinach and some sliced button mushrooms with the sesame dressing

Fry up small amount of bacon bits and thin garlic chips and sprinkle on top

I love LOVE Japanese food, but finding a decent sashimi place in Singapore will leave a huge hole in your pocket. Freshness doesn’t come cheap. Akashi’s sashimi may be a bit pricey, but everything else on the money is pretty reasonable. I would have definitely recommend this place, but I’m just unsure now that they have moved if they brought the same chefs over. And at which branch?

I first visited Akashi at Tanglin Shopping Centre with Dru last year but since then, they have relocated next door to Orchard Parade Hotel. So perhaps that’s the best outlet? Don’t take my word for it.

Otoro – Slice of heaven on a bed of cold cucumber sided with fresh wasabi and sprouts

Cha Soba top with sliced Nori (Seaweed) and Sesame Seed

My favourite: Dragon Roll – soft shell crab and avocado maki

Japanese salad with Horenso dressing (sesame)

Best dish: Teriyaki cod – cooked to perfection

Agedashi Tofu

Akashi (Orchard Parade Hotel)
Address: #01-01A Orchard Parade Hotel, 1 Tanglin Road
Tel: +65 6732 4438
Opening Hours: Mon – Sun noon-3pm, 6.30-10.30pm.

I heard other branches have popped up, not sure if there is a price difference?

Akashi (Paragon Shopping Mall)
Address: #B1-01, 290 Orchard Road S(238859), Paragon, Orchard
Tel: +65 6735 8887
Opening hours: Mon – Sun 11.30 – 10.30 pm

Akashi (Vivocity)
Address: 1 Harbourfront Walk, #B2-07/08/09 VivoCity
Tel: +65 6376 9972
Opening hours: Mon – Sun 11.30am – 10pm