During a recent visit to Beijing, two of the best dishes we ate were zucchini shred and Napa cabbage salads with a sesame dressing.  This posting is an adaptation of the dressing for Qianlong Cabbage (Qianlong Caicai) from The Mala Market website.  So far I have used it to dress  Sesame Noodles with Shredded Chicken v2 .  A key ingredient to this dressing is Chinese sesame paste which differs from tahini since it is made from toasted sesame seeds and has a more intense flavor.

3 Tbs. Chinese sesame paste

3 Tbs. white sugar

2 Tbs. Chinese black vinegar

1 Tbs. sesame oil

1 Tbs. dark soy sauce

1 pinch kosher salt

1 Tbs. water

2 Tbs. honey

2 tsp. wasabi paste.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame paste, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce and salt until the mixture is not lumpy.  Add the water and whisk again.  Add the honey and wasabi paste and whisk again.  Check for seasoning.  The taste should be a balance of sweet, nutty, unami, and tangy flavors with a kick from the wasabi.