Rainbow Vegetables with Soy - Chilly Sauce

This is a rainbow dish – Korean style of different lightly cooked vegetables, served with a simple, spicy sauce. Although the quantities here are for 2 – 3 persons, it is usually best to make it for 4 persons or more, since there are many different items making one dish. It is a good idea to read through the method thoroughly before commencing, since there are many vegetables to be arranged side by side in rows on a platter, with contrasting colours next to each other, for serving.

Ingredients

1 cup baby spinach
½ cup julienned yellow capsicum (bell pepper)
⅓ cup julienned red capsicum (bell pepper)
⅓ cup julienned radish
⅓ cup julienned carrot
½ cup thinly sliced button mushrooms
½ cup small broccoli florets
1 tsp ground garlic
Unrefined salt
3 tbsp powdered roasted peanuts or powdered plain cashew nuts
1½ tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
2 tbsp toasted black sesame seeds
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp date paste
2 tbsp finely chopped spring onion greens
½ tsp red chilli flakes

For the Sauce

1 tsp finely chopped green chillies
½ tsp red chilli flakes (optional)
2 tbsp lemon juice or 1 tbsp vinegar
1 clove garlic, finely minced (optional)
1 tbsp finely minced spring onion whites
1 – 2 tbsp date paste (according to taste)
1½ tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds

Method

Spinach: Wash. Blanch in hot water for 10 seconds and then refresh in ice water. Drain. Lightly massage the spinach with ½ tsp ground garlic, salt (keep it low, since the soy sauce is salty too) and some nut powder. Carefully arrange the spinach at one edge of the serving platter in a row and top with ½ tbsp toasted white sesame seeds.

Yellow capsicum: Sauté the capsicum in a pan with a little salt on medium heat for 2 minutes. Transfer to the serving platter next to the spinach and top with ½ tbsp toasted black sesame seeds.

Red capsicum: Follow the same method as for yellow capsicum and place it next to the yellow capsicum on the platter.

Radish: Sauté with a little salt in a pan, on medium heat, for 2 minutes. Transfer to the serving platter next to the red capsicum and top with a little nut powder and ½ tbsp toasted black sesame seeds.

Carrot: Sauté with a little salt, in a pan, on medium heat, for 2 minutes. Top with ½ tbsp toasted black sesame seeds.

Mushroom: In a pan, sauté mushrooms with a little soy sauce, ¼ tsp ground garlic and 1 tbsp date paste. Transfer to the serving platter and top with ½ tbsp toasted white sesame seeds.

Broccoli: Blanch in boiling hot water for 1 minute, drain, refresh in ice cold water and drain again. Massage with garlic, salt and the nut powder. Transfer to the platter and top with ½ tbsp toasted white sesame seeds.

The Sauce: Mix all the ingredients together well and transfer to a small bowl.

Once all the vegetables are thus arranged one by one in rows on a platter, with contrasting colours next to each other, top everything with the chopped spring onion greens and red chilli flakes. Serve this beautiful rainbow dish with the sauce .

Serves 2 – 3

Variations

Use vegetables of your choice (aubergine, zucchini, etc.), using similar principles, making sure that you have a good variety of colours.