Cold dishes and salads• Vegetables• [Steaming]

Chrysanthemum green salad with sesame dressing

To make this refreshing chrysanthemum green salad, the leaves are steamed briefly until just wilted. The sesame dressing and toasted sesame seeds accentuate the aroma of the leaves.

Last Updated on September 6, 2020 by Simon Fan

Chrysanthemum greens are one of my favorite vegetables in spring.

I love their fresh herbal and floral aroma, reminiscent of chrysanthemum flower tea. In fact, both the Chrysanthemum greens and the plants whose flowers are used for making the tea belong to the genus Chrysanthemum. Their beautiful serrated dark green leaves have a nice crisp texture. A quick stir-frying, steaming, or blanching is the best way to preserve their flavor and texture. You can also eat them raw when the leaves are very young and tender.

Chrysanthemum greens

Besides their great taste, these greens are also nutrient-rich, particularly in antioxidants and potassium.

Now you can understand why they’re widely used in many Asian cuisines. In the US, you can find them at farmers’ markets or Asian grocery stores when they’re in season, under various names such as tong hao (茼蒿) in Mandarin, shungiku in Japanese, or sukgat in Korean.

Here is a simple recipe to make a refreshing chrysanthemum green salad. The leaves are steamed briefly until just wilted. The sesame dressing and toasted sesame seeds further accentuate the aroma of the leaves.

Chrysanthemum green salad with sesame dressing

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 teaspoons Asian-style sesame paste
4 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon white rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
¼ teaspoon sugar
4 oz (115 g) tender chrysanthemum leaves
Salt
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions

  1. To make the dressing, add the sesame paste to a bowl. Add the water in small quantities and mix well before each addition (a small whisk does a nice job). Add the rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar. Stir and mix until the dressing is smooth and creamy. If the dressing is a bit thick, add some more water.
  2. Spread the leaves in a single layer in a steamer. Sprinkle with salt and steam over high heat until the leaves are just wilted, about 1 minute. You can skip this step and enjoy the leaves raw if they’re very young and tender.
  3. Arrange the leaves on a serving plate. Top with the dressing and garnish with the sesame seeds. Enjoy!
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