Go Back
Print Recipe

Crunchy and Tangy Wafu Salad

Warm vegetables tossed in a savoury wafu dressing, with crunchy senbei and vinegared octopus or squid
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Japanese
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

  1. Choice of vegetables: You can swap the broccoli and cauliflower for Japanese cabbage. Purple cabbage or sugarloaf cabbage work too.
  2. 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.
  3. 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. 
  4. Japanese rice crackers: I personally prefer using Amanoya's Kabukiage Rice Cracker 天乃屋歌舞伎揚 for the taste and texture.