I created this on the fly with whatever I had in the fridge at the time. My family and friends loved it so much that I’ve been making it for years.
If you prefer your vegetables cooked rather than a typical raw leafy salad, this one is for you. You’re not limited to the vegetables listed here. I haven’t personally tried asparagus, baby corn, or Brussels sprouts, but I think they’d work too.
Best of all, this salad requires very little cooking skill. Steam, boil, or grill the vegetables until done, toss them with a store-bought wafu dressing, and mix. Definitely a crowd-pleaser.
Crunchy and Tangy Wafu Salad
Warm vegetables tossed in a savoury wafu dressing, with crunchy senbei and vinegared octopus or squid
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 150 g broccoli see notes
- 150 g cauliflower see notes
- ½ carrot
- 20 g vinegared octopus or squid see notes
- 4-8 pcs Japanese rice crackers see notes
Wafu Dressing
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp mirin optional
- 1 tbsp regular olive oil
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp grated onion and/or minced garlic
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- ½ tsp sugar
Instructions
- Combine all the wafu dressing ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
- Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into small florets.
- Cut the carrot in half lengthwise, then slice it thinly.
- If you're using cabbage, roughly cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- Ensure the charcoal is ready before placing the gyoza on the grill. Look for a light grey ash coating on the surface, with a red-orange glow underneath and little to no open flames or thick smoke.
Cooking - Steaming
- Add the vegetables to the steamer only once the water is boiling.
- Steam for around 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let the residual heat continue cooking the vegetables. If you prefer them softer, cook for another 1 minute.
Cooking - Blanching
- Blanch in boiling water for around 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let the residual heat continue cooking the vegetables. If you prefer them softer, cook for another 1 minute.
Cooking - Charcoal Grilling
- Grill for approximately 25 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally.
Finishing
- Add the dressing and vinegared octopus or squid. Mix well.
- Keeping the rice crackers in their packet, gently crush them into smaller pieces.
- Add the rice crackers just before serving, so it stays crunchy.
Notes
- Choice of vegetables: You can swap the broccoli and cauliflower for Japanese cabbage. Purple cabbage or sugarloaf cabbage work too.
- Wafu dressing: If it's a hassle to make your own dressing, store-bought ones work fine. I'd recommend Kewpie Japanese Soy and Sesame Dressing or Kenko Onion Dressing.
- Where to get vinegared octopus or squid: I usually get mine from Japanese supermarkets such as Don Don Donki (known as Don Quijote in Japan), Isetan, or MEDI-YA.
- Japanese rice crackers: I personally prefer using Amanoya's Kabukiage Rice Cracker 天乃屋歌舞伎揚 for the taste and texture.
