Komatsuna Puree
小松菜のペースト · Komatsuna no Pesuto
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Komatsuna is a mild, tender leafy green (often called Japanese mustard spinach) that shows up all the time in Japanese school lunches. Here it is simply boiled and blended with kombu dashi into a smooth puree, so even the youngest children can manage it without chewing. The kelp stock adds a gentle savory depth with no added salt, which is exactly the kind of quiet seasoning we rely on in preschool kitchens. If you cannot find komatsuna, spinach or bok choy leaves make a fine substitute.
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 15 gkomatsunaA mild Japanese leafy green (Japanese mustard spinach) with tender stems. Substitute: Spinach or bok choy.
Seasonings
- 15 gkombu dashi (kelp stock)A light, savory stock made by steeping dried kombu kelp in water. Substitute: Light vegetable stock, or water with a small pinch of dashi powder.
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- komatsuna (こまつな)
- A mild Japanese leafy green (Japanese mustard spinach) with tender stems. Substitute: Spinach or bok choy.
- kombu dashi (kelp stock) (だし汁，昆布)
- A light, savory stock made by steeping dried kombu kelp in water. Substitute: Light vegetable stock, or water with a small pinch of dashi powder.
Directions
- 1
Boil the komatsuna, then blend it with the kombu dashi in a blender until smooth.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 1.5 kcal | 3 kcal | 1.5 kcal |
| Protein | 0.3 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Fat | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 0.5 g | 0.9 g | 0.5 g |
| Fiber | 0.3 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Calcium | 25.5 mg | 51 mg | 25.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.5 mg | 0.9 mg | 0.5 mg |
| Potassium | 96 mg | 192 mg | 96 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 1.5 kcal | 0.3 g | 0 g | 0.5 g | 0.3 g | 0 g | 25.5 mg | 0.5 mg | 96 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 3 kcal | 0.6 g | 0 g | 0.9 g | 0.6 g | 0 g | 51 mg | 0.9 mg | 192 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
Ingredients in this recipe
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