Easy-to-Make Sesame Dressing Spices Up Salads With Flavors of Orient

Although there are many different types of uncooked salad dressings, all are emulsions--combinations of two liquids that don’t blend together naturally. Depending on their stability, these oil and aqueous mixtures are classified as temporary, semipermanent or permanent.

Vinaigrette dressing is a good example of a temporary emulsion, which separates quickly into two layers and must be vigorously shaken before each use to uniformly distribute the ingredients. This agitation breaks the oil into droplets and suspends them for a short period of time in the acidic vinegar or lemon juice.

Semipermanent emulsions are more viscous, with a consistency of heavy cream or honey. The oil droplets remain suspended for a few days in these pourable dressings. Should separation occur, the emulsion may be reformed by stirring.

Mayonnaise is a classic example of a permanent oil-in-water emulsion. In this category of dressings an emulsifying agent, usually egg yolk, coats the oil droplets and prevents the mixtures from separating into layers.

Sesame Dressing, a semipermanent emulsion, is easily prepared in an electric blender. Place the soy sauce (Step 1), lemon juice, honey, ginger and sesame seeds in a blender container and process (Step 2) about 10 seconds.

Combine the sesame and vegetable oils and slowly add to the blender container with the machine running (Step 3). The mixture will begin to thicken, however, if the oil is added too quickly, this emulsion will break down and separate.

The completed dressing should be smooth, pour easily (Step 4) and remain intact for a few days.

SESAME DRESSING

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon minced ginger root

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2/3 cup vegetable oil

Combine soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, ginger and sesame seeds in blender container. Process 10 seconds.

Combine sesame and vegetable oils. With machine running, slowly add oils. Continue to process about 5 seconds. Makes about 1 cup.

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