Spinach Ohitashi

Ingredients

• 340 gramsspinach
• 1 cup dashi
• 1 tablespoon usukuchi soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon mirin 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Wash 340 grams spinach in a large bowl under running water. Be especially careful to wash between the stems where they meet the root.
2. Make the seasoning liquid by mixing together 1 cup dashi, 1 tablespoon usukuchi soy sauce, 1 teaspoon mirin, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a small square container.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare a large bowl of ice water.
4. Add the spinach to the water roots first and allow the roots and stems to cook for about 40 seconds before adding the leaves.
5. Stir in the leaves and let them cook for 1 minute.
6. Use tongs to transfer the spinach to the ice bath and rapidly chill.
7. Pick the spinach up by the root end and line them up. Squeeze out as much liquid from the spinach as possible by starting at the root end and squeezing repeatedly down to the leaves. Keep squeezing until very little liquid comes out.
8. Place the spinach on a cutting board and trim off the roots.
9. Cut the spinach into 2-inch lengths and add it to the dashi mixture to soak for a few minutes (or up to 24 hours) before serving.