Nara of Japan Oriental Dressing

Newport News, Virginia, 1988 I went to my very first Japanese Restaurant.  It was called Nara of Japan, my aspiring actor boyfriend took me on a date there.  It was a whole new experience for me.  It started with a salad with the most amazing dressing.  Followed by a box lunch with my very first sushi and sashimi, which changed my life, but that’s another post.

I don’t remember when, but the local newspaper published the recipe for their salad dressing.  I clipped it out and have been making it ever since.

Ingredients

1/4 c finely diced green onion (white part only)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 c soy sauce

1/4 c vinegar (white, rice or red wine)

1/8 c sugar

1/2 tbs sesame oil (not pictured)

dash of salt

1 1/2 tbs vegtable oil

Directions

Finely dice the white parts of the green onion.

Mince the garlic clove.

Place onion and garlic  in a bowl or if you have a nifty dressing mixer like I do, put them in there.

add the 1/8 c sugar

then add the 1/4 c soy sauce

add 1/4 cup of your choice of vinegar (I like to use the rice vinegar, it just seems right)

next add the 1/2 tbs sesame oil

I know, it wasn’t in the ingredient picture, because, I swore I had some but I didn’t, so I had to get some.  As you can see the light has changed.

If you have a dressing blender add the 1 1/2 tbs vegetable oil, if not mix the ingredients then slowly whisk in the oil.

I had to move to my dining table to get good light, I really thought I had sesame oil…..

All done.

You’ll make this dressing again and again and again and again….

By the way, I found the sesame oil after dinner….ain’t that the way.