One Dish Summer Salads


When it is still hot out I like to make hearty one bowl salad meals topped with either cooked chicken or thin strips of pork belly (easy to find in Japan but hard to find in the USA unless you are at a Japanese or Korean market).

The top salad here is simply shredded chicken, lettuce, steamed bean sprouts, fruit tomatoes, and julienned carrots, cucumbers, red bell peppers. My go to dressing is an umami-packed nutty, sweet, and slightly spicy banbanji sauce (recipe below).


This salad is steamed julienned cabbage, steamed bean sprouts, julienned carrots, cucumbers, and red bell pepper topped with the thin cuts of pork belly that has been quickly blanched in hot water (similar to a shabu-shabu). The first time I saw cold pork I didn't think it would be appetizing but when served with all of these vegetables and the banbanji sauce it is delicious.

Both of these salads are satisfying, filling, and hit the spot on a hot day. Everything can be prepared ahead of time so you can chill the ingredients in the fridge before serving.

Quick and Easy Banbanji Sauce


2 Tablespoons nerigoma (toasted sesame paste, do not used tahini, use peanut butter instead)
2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon rayu (spicy sesame oil)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. It will keep in the fridge for several days, just stir before serving.

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