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Simple instruction on how to make sesame sauce, goma dare, at home. Enjoy with Shabu Shabu.
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- 3 Tbsp sake
- 2 Tbsp nerigoma (tahini sauce)
- 1 Tbsp ponzu
- 1 Tbsp miso
- ½ Tbsp neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, canola, etc)
- ½ Tbsp sesame oil (roasted)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp mirin
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- garlic (minced, optional)
- Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.
You can store in an airtight container and keep in your refrigerator up to 7-10 days.
Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe in your own words and link to this post as the original source. Thank you
Hi Nami,
Thanks a lot for your great recipes!!!!
Domo arigatou 🙂
Hi Yuli! Doitashimashite! 🙂
I made your recipes and it was amazing!!! my husband could’t stop eating 🙂 thank you
V Schello
Hi Vaniane! So happy to hear that! Thank you for your kind feedback! 🙂
This recipe was great. I bought some at a store and hated the fact that the main ingredient was high fructose corn syrup. Glad I have an alternative to store bought! Plus this recipe was ten times tastier! Thank you!
HI Kelly! I’m glad to hear you like the homemade sesame sauce! Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂 xo
Is it for salads served in Japanese restaurants?
Hi Lynn! This Sesame Sauce is used for shabu shabu (as dipping sauce). I think you’re interested in this Sesame Dressing recipe:
https://www.justonecookbook.com/sesame-dressing/
Hope that helps! 🙂
I discovered your site today and tried the sesame sauce. It was a hit with the whole family. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Marie! I’m so happy you found my site and your sesame sauce came out well! Thanks so much for trying my recipe! 🙂
So, so, so yummy. Absolutely perfect with shabu shabu. However, I found that the brand of nerigoma makes a pretty noticeable difference. I like the Atari Goma (which is made in japan.) I tried a brand (I do not remember the name) that was made in China, and it was not nearly as flavorful. Unfortunately, the Atari Goma was $12 in our local store, and the Chinese brand was $4. Worth the $12. The was also a strong bitterness to it that I did not like. I even substituted beer when I was out of Sake (sacrilege, I know) with the Atari Goma and the sauce was still perfect. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us!
Hi Angela! Thank you so much for the tip! I usually find one brand of “negiroma” at a Japanese store, so I didn’t realize that different texture from another brand. So glad you mentioned it. Thank you for sharing!
Hi, thank you for this great recipe. I tried this with sliced poached chicken breast and it was wonderful
By the way, I also live in the Bay Area so I frequently shop in Nijiya, Mitsuwa and Marukai. Could you please tell me your preferred brand of nerigoma sesame paste to use?
Also, what brand/type of miso do you prefer for this recipe?
Thanks!!!
Hi Alex! Thank you for trying my recipe! I shop at Nijiya (San Mateo) and there is usually 1-2 kinds of negiroma available. They have Kadoya brand or Yuuki brand.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/sesame-paste-neri-goma/
http://amzn.to/2cKlgG1
My favorite miso is this one: https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/miso/ (2nd picture from top).
Thank you for reading my blog!
Hi Nami,
I can’t wait to make this!
I was just wondering how long the shelf life of gomadare is? Will it last more than a week in the fridge?
Hi Jaime! If you keep in the fridge, I recommend to use it within 7-10 days. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Thank you! We made shabu shabu tonight and my husband gobbled this down all by himself. Definitely a keeper (both the sauce and my washoku-loving husband)!
I couldn’t find nerigoma in any of the stores here and didn’t want to use tahini…I just toasted and grinded up sesame seeds (no suribachi unfortunately) then mixed in everything else. Does it make a big difference to use nerigoma? I’ve never tasted it before.
Hi Jaime! I’m so happy to hear your husband thoroughly enjoyed shabu shabu! 🙂 Negiroma is very nutty, syrupy texture, almost like honey. So it gives the sauce very creamy texture – like peanut butter but thinner. 🙂
I love your cook book. It’s the best Japanese cook book I’ve found. Thanks you for explaining everything so well. The dishes end up tasting and looking like the meals I have experienced in Japan and in Japanese restaurants so I am always please with the results.
Hi Kat! I’m so happy to hear your kind feedback. Thank you for trying my recipes! 🙂
I have been making this recipe repeatedly for about 4 years and I always come back! Some of the modifications I’ve made are to add a Tbsp of actual Japanese sesame seeds to give it a fresher sesame taste and double the mirin instead of using sugar. I also usually double the rice vinegar. One clove of fresh garlic is more than enough for one serving of this recipe (and I’m a garlic lover). Also, I usually blend instead of whisk.
Hi Ashwyze! Thank you so much for your kind feedback. Wow for the past 4 years! I like that you add sesame seeds. Thanks for sharing your version with us!
My husband cannot have alcohol in his food; Would you substitute with anything or just leave it out? I’m going for a similar taste as the shabu restaurants. 😁
Hi Kim! You can substitute with water, but wait till the end. Before you add, taste it, and gradually add. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
It’s a wonderful recipe
Thank you for the kind words, Hany!
Nami,
I loved your sesame-miso dipping sauce. i used your ponzu sauce in this recipe. They were both delicious with my shabu-shabu luncheon.
Thank you for all your great easy-to-follow recipes.
Hi Joyce! Thank you so much for your kind words! So happy to hear you enjoyed it. Hmm shabu shabu for lunch! So nice! 🙂
Nami! I love your recipes and use them more and more often as I explore Japanese cooking.
A recipe request:
I’m curious to hear your take on Goma Dofu and Mikan Dofu. Two dishes my
partner and I recently tried in Japan.
I hope you’d illuminate the subject for us 🙂
Greetings from Amsterdam, Netherlands
Rogerio & Cyrus
Hi Rogerio! Thank you for your request! I’m planning to try goma dofu one day… I had never tried the mikan dofu. Sounds delicious!
If you don’t have ponzu, what is a good substitute?
Hi Junji! For a quick ponzu sub, you can combine 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tsp soy sauce, 1-2 tsp lemon juice, and 2-3 tsp mirin or orange juice. To make it less complicated (but not exactly same), you can combine soy sauce and lemon juice.
What kind of sake is best for this recipe?
Hi Tyler! Cooking sake includes salt etc so I use regular (inexpensive, $5-8) drinking sake for my recipes: https://www.justonecookbook.com/sake/
This is perfect! I love the taste, the amount, the ease of prep. I always have all the ingredients on hand. I love being able to mix this up anytime we need it. Arigatou~~
Hi Chara! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and I’m glad to hear you liked it! Arigato for your kind feedback. 🙂
hi Nami,
Do you have a tahini sauce you would recommend?
Hi Karen,
Nami usually uses Japanese Nerigoma and do not use tahini sauce. Here’s a review from Minimalist Baker: https://minimalistbaker.com/store-bought-tahini-review/
We hope this helps!🙂