Bittergourd Salad With Wafu Dressing

If you are a bittergourd/bittermelon lover, you will surely love this salad.  I replicated the same salad which I had eaten at a Japanese restaurant in KL with my daughter. She recommended me this salad dish and after tasted it. I was head over heel in love with this dish and I told her I will replicate it for sure.  As we were eating it, we were trying to identify the ingredients used for the salad dressing. And bingo, my daughter got it right..it is Wafu dressing ( japanese- style salad dressing ).  I came back googled for wafu dressing and Voila, she got it right.  It tasted exactly the same as the one which the one served at the Japanese restaurant. I could not contain my joy and I had to text my daughter   " Wow, its exactly the same as the one we ate at the restaurant...your wafu dressing is a spot on "  . I sensed her head swelling through the phone LOL!  My daughter JO is a great taster and she can guess the ingredients faster than me. A keeper for sure and I shall be eating this often as I have my own homegrown plant to supply me endless bittergourd.

This is one healthy and delicious salad that I would like to share with my readers .  Bittergourd has lots of health benefits and they are delicious in however you cooked them. Turning them into salad is a wonderful idea from the Japanese restaurant we went.  And thanking my daughter for introducing me this salad dish.  She is my bestie for sure.  We both love eating and replicating dishes from home :) And I don't nicknamed her Piggy JO for nothing LOL !

these are main ingredients used for making the salad

 

this is the Japanese Grain Vinegar I used in the making the

Wafu Dressing

wafu dressing ...a beautiful Japanese style salad dressing..a keeper for sure

I rested the wafu dressing for 20 mins before using them

as I feel the ingredients will have enough time to 'married to each other'

and gives the dressing a more flavorful one for this salad

after dressing the salad, garnish the top with bonito flakes and
some toasted wasabi flavored seaweed

this is a keeper for sure

Bittergourd Salad With Wafu Dressing

 Ingredients:

3 karela ( indian bittergourd )  
1 red onion- sliced thinly

topping
bonito flakes
toasted wasabi flavored seaweeds

Wafu dressing - adapted from Just One Cookbook

1 tbsp of grated onion with juice
3 tbsp of vegetable oil * I used rice bran oil
3 tbsp of Japanese Soy Sauce
3 tbsp of rice vinegar * I used Japanese grain vinegar - it taste better
1 tbsp sugar
freshly ground pepper
1/2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds * I omitted coz I ran out of sesame seed

Method:
Put all the dressing ingredients above in a small bowl.  Whisk the ingredients together to create a perfect blend.  Leave it to rest for 20 mins to allow  a more intense flavor.

Prepare the karela ( bittergourd )
sliced thinly and season with salt to draws out bitterness and water. wipe dry with the kitchen paper towels.  Lay them on a salad plate together with the onion slices.  Drizzle the salad dressing over the bittergourd onion slices. Topped with bonito flakes and toasted wasabi flavored seaweeds.

Note:  I like it chilled. It taste better if chilled.  Can be served at room temperature.

Japanese Cucumber Salad With Passionfruit Dressing

Sorry...looks like I have been on a salad binge of late.  Too much of korean influence I guess. This Ajumma is hooked on side dish.  Beside kimchi, I have been trying out many light and easy side dishes to go with the meat dishes. As you know I have a meat eater at home...I have been pigging myself with meat too :p  I have to whip up appetizing sides to have a well balanced diet everyday. Saw this recipe in one cookbook and I knew I have to try this recipe out and if it is as good as it looks, it will be added on my side-dish menu for sure :)  And guess what.. we love it! The fragrant of the passionfruit dressing on those already juicy cucumber slices...gosh, it is the perfect dressing for a cucumber salad. So refreshing ,light and easy !  A keeper for sure.   

easy to whip up salad.....

passionfruit and lemon juice and sugar to make the dressing

for the japanese cucumber salad

this is so very good...rich in vitamin C

Japanese Cucumber Salad With Passionfruit Dressing

3 japanese cucumber - wash clean, with skin on, cut into thin slices,
1/2 tsp salt

passionfruit dressing

3 ripe passionfruits-  use all the pulps
1/2 tbsp of sugar
1 tbsp of lemon juice -optional

To make dressing - mix together the passionfruit pulps with the lemon juice and sugar in a small bowl and let it rest for 10 mins .

Preparation:

1.Cut cucumber into thin slices - rub salt over cucumber and leave it for 3 mins. After 3 mins, give it a light squeeze to remove excess water.  Place the cucumber slices on a salad bowl.  Spoon the passionfruit dressing over the cucumber slices before serving.

Enjoy !

Baby Octopus Salad With Tangy Hot Mint Dressing

Even though I know the fact that octopus has high cholesterol value, I  still use them in salad such as this :p This is a easy to prepare salad . First ,I will pickle the raw shallots slices, bird's eye chillies and chopped garlic and young mint leaves with calamansi juice and fish oil and a pint of salt for half hour.  Then pour over the cooked baby octopus and mix them well.  Serve this dish as an appetizer or side dish...I am sure you and family will enjoy this appetizer.   I DO ! :) 

to make dressing , pickle together shallots, garlic, chillies and mint leaves

with calamansi juice and fish oil

 appetizing dish to serve as appetizer or side dish..

Yummy !

Baby Octopus With Tangy Mint Dressing  - WB Kitchen

Ingredients

6 pieces of baby octopus - steam it for 8 mins over hot boiling steamer - cut into bite size pieces

Dressing Ingredients:  ( mix all the ingredients together and pickle for half hour )

4 calamansi - extract juice

a handful young mint leaves - you can chopped them but I prefer not chopped

4 shallots - slice thinly

2 cloves of garlic - chopped

a pinch of salt

1 tbsp of fish oil

juices from the steamed octopus

Preparation:

Clean the octopus and drain off water.  Heat up steamer and when water is boiling, put int the octopus and steam for 8 mins. Off heat and take out the cooked octopus and placed into a mixing bowl.  Keep aside the juices from the octopus .

Mix the dressing ingredients together and leave it to pickled for at least half hour.  Pour dressings over the cooked octopus and mix well.  Serve chilled  if you like a chilled one and serve as appetizer or as a side dish.

Enjoy!