WATERCRESS OHITASHI

By Elijah Madayag

Uncle Steve's stories of the Sumida family's simple yet flavorful approach to cooking has always been a source of inspiration.  His mom's classic recipe for boiled watercress with shoyu had been a staple at the dinner table for years.  Today, we pay homage to culinary legacy by elevating his dish to a more traditional Japanese preparation: Watercress Ohitashi.

Ohitashi is a traditional Japanese dish where blanched vegetables are marinated in a delicate dashi stock-based sauce, infused with soy sauce, mirin, and a touch of sweetness.  It's a refreshing side dish that showcases the natural flavors of the vegetables while adding layers of umami from the dashi.

To create our Watercress Ohitashi, we start with fresh watercress, blanched until just tender, and gently dried to maintain its vibrant green color and crisp texture.  Instead of just soy sauce, we incorporate dashi stock for a deeper, more complex flavor profile.  The dashi stock not only enhances the taste, but also compliments the natural spicy notes of the watercress.  To add a traditional touch, we top our dish with freshly shaved katsuobushi flakes to infuse a little smoky essence into every bite.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4C Dashi stock
• 1/4C soy sauce
• 1T mirin
• 1T sugar
• 1 lb blanched and dried Sumida Farm watercress
• Katsuobushi/sesame seeds flakes for garnish
• salt

METHOD:

Prepare the watercress:

• Bring a medium sized pot of salted water to a boil
• Cut your bunch of Sumida Farm watercress in half separating the stalks from the leaves.  Keep the two sections in nice straight bunches.
• Blanch the stalks in the boiling water for about 1 minute or until just tender and it turns a deep green color.  Do not stir around too much to keep the stalks in an orderly position.
• Immediately transfer the blanched watercress to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.  Repeat with the leaves, blanching for about 30 seconds.
• Drain the watercress thoroughly and gently squeeze out excess water forming the stalks and leaves into a log shape.

Make the ohitashi sauce:

• For the Dashi, you can use an instant dashi powder, but my favorite version is made with Kayanoya dashi pouches that can be simply steeped in water for a few minutes to make a light stock or left longer to give a stronger dashi flavor.
• In a small bowl, combine the dashi stock, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Marinate the watercress:

• Take your drained watercress logs and cut into desired lengths, typically around 2 inch sections.
• Place the prepared watercress in a shallow dish or a container and pour the cooled ohitashi sauce over the watercress, ensuring it is evenly distributed.
• Cover the dish or container with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate the watercress for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.

Serve:

• When ready to serve, remove the watercress from the marinade and transfer to a serving dish.
• Optionally, drizzle a little bit of the marinade over the watercress as a dressing.
• Enjoy as is, or garnish with some katsuobushi flakes, or sesame seeds.

Notes:

• Ohitashi can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.  The flavors may intensify over time.
• Adjust the sweetness or saltiness of the marinade to your taste preference by adjusting the amount of sugar or soy sauce.