Been on a mini-sesame kick here on the blog. I thought it would be appropriate to talk about one of my wife's favorite dressings. This dressing is so good that after one salad, she had to go back in have another. I want to show you how to make a sesame ginger dressing that is simple to make. No special machinery required.
The lineup of ingredients to make Sesame Ginger Salad Dressing.
Ingredients for Sesame Ginger Dressing
Mild Oil
Dressing begins with oil. For this dressing I want the sesame flavor shining bright, so I don't want my oil to be too assertive. Leave the extra virgin olive oil in the pantry, and turn to a mild flavored oil. I like sunflower seed oil or grape seed oil. You can use canola or vegetable oil as well, but I am more careful about selecting those oils unless labeled as being non-GMO (read my post on Why I Stopped Using Canola Oil)
Vinegar
Here you want to go mild as well, so no balsamic. Rice wine vinegar is the ideal choice, however I used apple cider the last time I made this dressing. Why? Because it's the best vinegar for gut health - which I am working to improve. Make sure to choose a unfiltered apple cider vinegar that contains the mother - which turns alcohol into acid, which is what makes vinegar.
Whenever I make a vinaigrette, I like a 3 to 1 ratio. 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar, gives me the best results. Not too acidic and when shaken makes a nice creamy emulsion.
This is one of my favorite things from Trader Joe's. I always have it on hand. Just a little bit can add so much flavor to dressings, marinades, or stir frys.
Toasted Sesame Seed Oil
This is the key ingredient to what makes this salad dressing amazing. You don't want just any old sesame seed oil, it need to be toasted to bring out that strong flavor. I love the one available at Trader Joe's. It's under $3 and a little goes a long way - thus it will last a while. It needs to be keep refrigerated to keep it from going rancid.
Garlic Powder
I am all about using fresh garlic in dressings, but in this one I want it as a background player, so I add a little bit of powder.
Fresh Ginger
This is where you want to use the fresh stuff. You can grate the ginger using a box grater or a microplane, which is what I use. No worry about peeling, just grate away. This is the one ingredient I would add a little at a time until you get what you like. I would add it at the very end.
Sesame Seeds
For even more sesame flavor, I add in the whole seed. I like to go with the black sesame seeds. They have a stronger flavor than the white ones. To learn more about where to find them, see my post on Where to Buy Black Sesame Seeds. Also learn the difference between white and black sesame seeds.
Soy Sauce
Pick a low sodium soy sauce. You don't want one that is too salty. The one I used in the photo above is Kikkoman Organic Soy Sauce. I like that it is organic, yet it is bit salty. I only call for a tablespoon of soy in this recipe to provide a little background flavor. If you need a soy sauce alternative you can try Coconut Aminos.
I love this Lock'n'Lock salad dressing container. Just put the ingredients inside and shake it up. It's easy to dispense.
How to Bring the Dressing Together
No fancy equipment needed here. You don't need a blender or food processor. If your power is out in your house, you can still make this dressing! Just mix everything together in any good container that has a lid with a good seal. Even better if it is has a spout for pouring like my Lock & Lock salad dispenser you see above. The best advice I can give you is, taste, taste, and taste some more. What I think tastes perfect may not be what you think tastes perfect. Adjust the ingredients for your palate. Needs more salt, add more. Too much ginger, then back it off. Learn what you like. That's the best think about homemade salad dressings, your completely in control.
The black sesame seeds really stand out in the dressing, more so than the white would.
Ingredients
- 1 cup mild flavored oil sunflower, grape seed, vegetable, canola
- ⅓ cup apple cider or rine wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons black or white sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons toasted sesame seed oil
- 2 to 3 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Measure out and combine all the ingredients except the ginger in a container with a tight fitting lid.
- Add the fresh ginger a teaspoon at a time until flavor is to your liking. Shake to emulsify.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Makes enough for about 5-7 side salads.
- Shake well before each use.
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