Gomaae

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the baby spinach and blanch for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until it just wilts. Drain the baby spinach and immediately transfer it to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, drain and squeeze out any excess water.

Place the dried wakame seaweed in a small bowl and cover with warm water. Let it soak for 5 minutes until rehydrated and tender. Drain well and squeeze out any excess water. Set aside.

In a small dry pan, toast 2 tbsp white sesame seeds over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent them from burning. Transfer the sesame seeds to a mortar and pestle and lightly grind to release their oils. In a small bowl, whisk together the ground sesame seeds with the remaining dressing ingredients until the sugar dissolves and the dressing is well combined.

In a large bowl, toss the blanched spinach and rehydrated wakame with the sesame-mirin dressing until evenly coated. Transfer the gomaae to individual plates or a serving dish.

Sprinkle over more toasted sesame seeds, if desired, before serving.