Spicy Sesame Lemon Dressed Watercress

This is one of my favorite salads ever. It is light, bright, and tart. The peppery watercress is watery, crunchy, and earthy. The lemon vinaigrette dressing brings together nutty sesame seeds and the light spice of Korean chile flakes. If you can’t find watercress, try another spicey green like arugula or mizuna. Spinach works too but doesn’t have the spicy tang of the other greens.

Gather these items from your pantry or grocery store.

• 1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice

• 2 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon. soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

• 1 teaspoon. gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)

• 1 teaspoon packed dark brown sugar

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 8 ounces watercress

• 2 tablespoons of chiffonade basil

• 5 green onions, diced

Place lemon juice with sesame oil, soy sauce, sesame seeds, gochugaru, sugar, and garlic in a jar and shake until it is well mixed. Add watercress, basil, and green onions to a salad bowl and toss until evenly coated. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately.

This salad is full of flavor and makes a meal when you add some simple protein (piece of fish, chicken, tofu, or thin sliced pork tenderloin). I served this with Korean spiced meatloaf, which I made yesterday, on a slice of homemade sourdough bread. I topped the open face sandwich with bahn mi pickle and cilantro. I know I mixed Korean and Vietnamese, but flavor has no boundary.