Steamed vegetable salad with black sesame flax dressing

I don’t like to shock vegetables in iced water after steaming or blanching, as I think some of the flavor gets washed away. I prefer to cook vegetables until tender, and then spread them out over large plates to cool. They will continue to cook a little, so remove the vegetables from the steamer when they are just cooked.

This salad can be eaten warm or cooled and stored in the fridge for a couple of days, just store the vegetables and dressing separately.

Serves 6

For the salad:

1 medium daikon, cut in ¼ inch diagonal slices

2 medium carrots, cut in ¼ inch diagonal slices

8 radishes, trimmed and cut in ¼ slices

2 medium zucchini, cut in ¼ inch diagonal slices

2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved on a diagonal

1 bunch broccolini, trimmed, large heads halved

For the dressing:

¼ cup cold pressed flax oil

4 teaspoons tamari

4 teaspoons brown rice vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted black sesame seeds

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Make the salad:

Set up a steamer, add about 1-½ inches of filtered water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add daikon, carrots and radishes and steam for 2 minutes or until beginning to soften, remove from steamer, spread over a large plate and set aside to cool.

Add zucchini and sugar snaps to steamer and steam for 1 ½ to 2 minutes or until bright green and tender. Remove from heat, spread over a large plate and set aside to cool. Steam broccolini for 2 ½ to 3 minutes or until bright green and beginning to soften, remove from heat and spread over a plate to cool.

Lift vegetables off plates and add them to a large salad bowl — lifting them ensures that you don’t add water to your salad. Gently toss to combine.

Make the dressing:

Add all ingredients to a small jar, screw lid on tightly and shake to combine. Pour over vegetables, gently toss to combine and serve.