Annie's Chamorro Kitchen: Japanese Vinaigrette

“My name is Annie. Food and I get along so well! Cooking and baking are more than a hobby for me – they’re a passion. I come from the beautiful island of Guam, U.S.A. The recipes you’ll find here are my creations, or those of my children, who are also budding foodies. I hope you like them. Drop me a comment or two to let me know how you like our island and other delicacies. Enjoy!” - Army Lt. Col. (Ret.) Annette Merfalen

I love salads, but it’s all about the dressing for me. I’ve been experimenting with various salad dressings but I always seem to migrate toward vinegar and oil mixtures.

I call this a Japanese vinaigrette because of the addition of rice wine vinegar and aji mirin seasoning. Traditional Japanese dressings, however, usually use plain vegetable oil, but I love the flavor sesame oil imparts, so that’s my oil of choice in this version.

This is a quick and easy recipe. Throw all of the ingredients into a bowl, whisk, and serve.

This dressing is delicious with mixed salad greens, over cucumbers, or use it to make one of my many versions of Ahi Tuna Poki.

Give it a try. I think you'll like it!

Japanese Vinaigrette
A tangy and slightly sweet dressing perfect for salads, seafood, or used as a marinade.
Recipe type: Sauces and Dressings
Cuisine: Japanese
Serves: 2.5 cups

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice vinegar
• ½ cup aji mirin sweet cooking rice seasoning
• ¼ cup white, granulated sugar
• ¼ cup sesame oil
• ¼ cup finely chopped onions
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic

Instructions
1. Place all ingredients into a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
2. Pour over salad greens, cucumbers, or use as a marinade. This is also a delicious dressing for my version of Ahi Tuna Poki.