2 skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp sesame oil
SESAME-PONZU DRESSING
25g white sesame seeds
50g tahini
2 tbsps mirin
2 tbsps rice vinegar
3 tbsps yuzu juice
(or lime juice)
1½ tbsps sesame oil
1½ tbsps vegetable oil
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
pinch of white pepper
pinch of dashi powder or
MSG (optional)
SALAD
100g mizuna (or rocket)
½ iceberg lettuce, torn
into bite-size pieces
2 tomatoes, cut into
eight wedges
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
200g tin of sweet corn
½ cucumber, julienned1 Butterfly chicken breasts by laying them flat on a
chopping board and using a sharp knife to cut each
one in half widthways, leaving the two halves uncut
and attached on one side, and opening them up like
a greeting card. Rub them all over with the sesame
oil, salt and pepper. Grill on medium-high for about
8 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, or until
cooked through and no longer pink. Cool, then chill.
2 To make the dressing, toast the sesame seeds in
a dry frypan until brown and very nutty-smelling.
Remove from the heat, cool, then grind to a coarse,
sandy powder with a mortar and pestle, spice mill
or food processor. Combine with the tahini, mirin,
vinegar, yuzu juice, sesame oil, vegetable oil, sugar,
soy sauce, white pepper and dashi powder or MSG.
It should be thick but pourable – if it’s too thick, add
a splash of water. Taste and adjust the seasoning with
salt as needed. 3 Shred the cooked chicken. Arrange
the salad leaves in bowls and top with tomatoes,
carrot, sweet corn, cucumber and shredded chicken.
Pour over the dressing just before serving.MIZUNA SALAD WITH SESAME-PONZU DRESSING
SERVES 4This is an edited
extract from
Tokyo Stories by
Tim Anderson
(Hardie Grant,
$39.99). Out now.