AdSense

Saturday, July 7, 2007

Japanese Vinaigrette

I love salad and I love it with Japanese Dressing. One very common Japanese Dressing is Wafu® Dressing. If you do not know how Wafu® Dressing is like, well, go get a salad from MOS Burger and ask for Japanese Dressing. (It's stated in their dressing) It's sour and salty and oily. Very Asian.

I have experiment mixing my own Japanese Vinaigrette and has been using this dressing for my Spring Onion Salad for a long time. Yap, Spring Onions! Don't ask me how I had this idea. It just happened! Mainly because I love spring onions and I always get a big bunch free when I go to the market. Since I usually use them for garnishing only, it's a waste to see them get spoilt. The fastest way to finish them is to have them as Salad.

Anyway, my current craze for Salad is using Cabbage. If you have been to Sakae Sushi, they have this. They named it Vegetarian Wafu® Salad. Vegetarian because there is no Crabstick in it. Wafu® salad usually comes with crabstick. All veggies only and it is served with Wafu® Dressing, hence, Vegetarian Wafu® Salad. Oh, they are charging SS$5.90 per serving. It's so much cheaper to make my own!

What is in the Salad Bowl ...
  • Shredded Japaneses Cabbage
  • Frisée
  • Tomato Slices
  • Japanese Cucumber Slices
  • Avocado Slices
The Dressing:
  • 3 tablespoon Salad or Vegetable Oil
  • 2 tablespoon Vinegar or Apple Cider
  • 1 tablespoon Sesame Seed Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon or Lime Juice
  • 1 teaspoon Sesame Seeds
  • A pinch of sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Grated Radish, to be added before serving
Note:
  • Adjust the flavour accordingly to your taste. If you prefer less sour then add less vinegar.
  • You can make more dressing and keep it in the fridge.
  • Optional ingredients here are the sesame seeds and grated radish.

* the Dressing *



* Spring Onion Salad *

It has Shredded Lettuce, Cherry Tomato, Shredded Spring Onion and Fried Onion.



Afternote:
I have been asked to remove the word, Wafu® from my post. I've removed it from my Title as well as not calling it THE dressing. The rest I wouldn't be able to change as that's what the vendors called it. I'm just quoting what they state. Hope this is reasonable.

17 comments:

  1. just a simple request....will you PLEASE stop posting such great recipes!!! I'm getting distracted from my own and my list of "must try" is getting too long.
    that is all.
    thank you.

    xoxo
    steamy kitchen

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jaden,
    Haha ... this is really simple not that great lah but thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am very sorry to disturb you, but would you terribly mind not using the term Wafu® in conjunction with the above recipe (which by the way looks like a delicious Japanese dressing).

    WAFU® is a trademarked Japanese vinaigrette (Trademark No. 594,889 (Canada)) produced exclusively by Mari's Foods Inc. (whose recipe is not exactly the same as the one listed on your blog).

    As a result, we would very much appreciate it if you could remove the use of the word WAFU® from the above posting.

    However, we would invite you to try our Wafu® Original Japanese Vinaigrette (take a look at some of our recipes at www.wafu.ca) and to share any recipes that you may come up using our product with all of your friends.

    Please do not hesitate to contact us at info@marifoods.com should you have any questions regarding the enclosed.

    Many thanks,

    Gil Michel-Garcia
    President
    Mari's Foods Inc.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh, I have removed the word, Wafu®, from the title of this post as well as not stating in my post, the dressing I posted as Wafu®, as per you request.

    However, the rest, such as Wafu® Dressing from MOS Burger and Wafu® Salad & Wafu® Dressing from Sakae Sushi, I wouldn't be able to change as that's what the vendors called it. I'm just quoting what they state. Hope this is okay.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi, just came across the request to remove the term WAFU from your dressing. Pretty unreasonable, I think, as the word is just a direct translation of "japanese style", which I reckon would be in the public domain. Even if you are based in Canada, where the registered trademark applies, I think it would be hard for them to win a case against you if it ever went to court.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yes, I agree is totally unreasonable. I live in Japan. Wafu or 和風 in Kanji, this term is widely use in Japan. It means Japanese style or taste, not necessary use on food only. Restaurant use the word wafu for salad dressing/sauce, the understand will be that the sauce will be soy sauce base and I am sure they are not using Mari's Wafu dressing !!!! Do all restaurants in Japan have to remove the word "Wafu" from their menu ????!!!

    from gal in jpn who tried to cook your chicken rice 2 weeks ago ;p

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous,
    I'm not sure how all this trademark thingy works but I didnt want to get into trouble. But I did wonder why I was targetted bcos when I searched for Wafu salad or Wafu dressing after that and I could see there are a lot more other postings using the word, Wafu, in their recipes too. But I dont see THEM asking it to be removed. Maybe mine version is really close to thier recipe? LOL Anyway, in Singapore there are Wafu Dressings from different makers. No TM issues there. Hmm.... anyway.

    Thanks for your comments on this. Appreciate it. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you for this lovely recipe. 'wafu' could be spelt 'wafuu' so you might consider that. Although...I do think the request was unreasonable since the word is EVERYWHERE! Perhaps you're right - maybe your recipe mirrors theirs too closely for comfort ;):P

    ReplyDelete
  9. Makupmag,
    Thanks for the suggestion! I didn't think of that.

    I have not seen that brand here in Singapore so I'm not sure if I'm close enough. But I like my version enough to stop buying commercial ones. They are too expensive. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Gosh - I never leave comments, but I am SOOO PEEVED that someone would ever ask you to stop using the word "wafu." It is an ADJECTIVE. It is like someone in Japan asking you not to you the phrase "Mexican-style" because they trademarked it in Japan. PLEASE. Better yet, in Japan, "wafu dressing" is a type of dressing, just like "ranch," "thousand island" and "FRENCH." Can you imagine some moron trademarking the word "French" and actually trying to enforce it?

    It makes me sooo angry that I insist that you change back your wonderful blog to freely use the ADJECTIVE “wafu” to describe your dishes. Now, this is the lawyer side of me talking here, but you are in Singapore and the moron who trademarked this Japanese adjective is in Canada. Canadian trademark laws do not apply outside of Canada, in other words, it does not apply to you (assuming that you are not a Canadian resident). This, of course assumes that Mari Foods did not apply under the Madrid Agreement (which is like an international trademark), but I can't imagine that it has, since Japan is also a member, and it is not like Japan would ever agree to trademarking a common Japanese adjective to a Canadian! Can you imagine if all of Japan could no longer use the common word “wafu” because some stupid company in Canada trademarked it?

    And finally (I swear, I will cool down after this), if Mari Foods tries to sue you, they will have to comply with the Hague Convention – meaning they will spend thousands of dollars getting the authority to actually sue you in Singapore (I’ve gone through this before – it could take over a year to comply with the Hague Convention). Once they do, the next battle they will have to overcome is whether Canada has jurisdiction over you – which they will lose. And if they actually get to the next battle, the question is whether the trademark was a reasonable one – which they will lose again (this will be a longer series of fights – but seriously, do you think Mari Foods would spend thousands for a fight they would lose if they fight it?).

    Ok, now back to your recipes… keep them coming!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Mabiellis,
    You are more upset than me. ;) I found it ridiculous and unreasonable at first. Like I said before, I didn't want trouble so I remove the word from the title.

    But I guess THAT PRESIDENT leaving me THAT comment made some of my visitors think that my version could be a true copycat of theirs. XD

    And if bcos of that they tried it and like it, they would probably stop buying the dressing cos if you notice, it's really simple and cheap to make. ;)

    I guess, there is not point sueing me bcos I'm not making money out of this (recipe). Unless, they consider the S$100+ I made thru Adsense profit and sue me for that. LOL

    Seriously, I feel that they are just being petty. I mean, I'm only a SAHM who just started leraning how to cook and penning down my recipes for records. What are they afraid off? They really should go check on some famous sites and blogs if they want too. I'm just a nobody. LOL

    Anyways, I thank you for visiting and your insight to how this trademarking & sueing stuff works and your support for me to use THAT word. ;) Sorry for making you feel so agitated. Hope you did cool down soon after.

    Appreciate your comments and hope to see you again here. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I actually came across your site looking for the Wafu dressing you are having problems with. (I can't seem to find it anymore and am looking for stores that carry it. Their website isn't that accurate of who carries it!) Anyway, I can't imagine that they are the same recipe. There's is a creamy light beige color. But who knows, maybe if it was whipped up, yours could look the same.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi;

    I was looking on the Internet for wafu/ wafuu recipes. I love the dressing but all the stores in my area just hiked the prices considerably!

    I want to tell you that I am a Canadian who is currently working & living in Tokyo. That guy's comment from Canada made my blood boil! Sooooo typically French-Canadian! Not TRULY CANADIAN at all. I have so many colleagues from Paris here. They are lovely people - maybe because they are the kinds of people that want to be out of their country!! lol I hate that guy giving all Canadians a bad name!

    I want to tell you that ALL of the restaurants in my area serve salads with wafu as a dressing choice! Give me a break! That guy is just being pathetic. That's like trying to take the word "oragami" and trade-mark it...or "karate" or "tsunami"! His post was so unbelievable! He made me ashamed to be a fellow Canadian. For future reference, just ignore all of those from Quebec! :D

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous 1,
    I think the dressing you are looking for is a different one. From what I know Wafu dressing is not cream base. I do hope you find your replacement or an alternative soon.

    Anonymous 2,
    Hahaha ... Chill. Who knows, he might not be a Canadian at all! ;) I have relatives living in Canada, in fact they are already Canadians and they are very nice Canadian friends. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. You're simply using the Revised Hepburn romanization for the word 和風 in 和風ドレッシング, which is wafū, but your keyboard does not contain the long vowel ū, so you spell it wafu (as is commonly done). Capitalization of foreign words is also common, so it is only reasonable to call your dressing the Wafu dressing, referring to a standard Japanese dressing. (The other standard one being French dressing, or, as they might call it in the US, Freedom dressing.)

    Thank you for the recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I had some delicious wafu dressing on my salad in a bento set recently. On internet search, I stumbled upon your blog. I don't think it's fair to ask you to remove the word Wafu. This word was introduced to me by the restaurant that serves the salad. It also sell its own-made Wafu Salad Dressing! So..how can Wafu be a trademark then? I am writing from KL, Malaysia. :o)

    ReplyDelete
  17. @Anon, Thanks for the insight.

    @J.C., Thanks for visiting. I guess not everyone agree with you. :)

    ReplyDelete