Chinese Sesame Lettuce Salad

• 5 bunches of youmaicai (or romaine hearts/baby gem)
• 1 tablespoon 1/2 tsp Chinese roasted sesame paste
• 1 tablespoon 1/2 tsp water
• 1/2 clove of garlic, finely minced
• 2 spring onions
• 1 teaspoon black and white sesame seeds (or either one)

1. Snap apart the individual leaves and wash them well. Give the leaves a shake to dry them off, then trim off the ends and the tops to keep the neat middle section, about 12cm long. Lay down the irregular leafy tops onto your serving plate in a flat layer, then stack the pretty middle sections on top, neatly like a pile of winter logs.
2. Stir the jar of sesame paste to recombine any separated oil on top and sediment at the bottom. Scoop the sesame paste into a small bowl and set aside. In another small bowl, combine the water, soy sauce, vinegar, light brown sugar and the finely minced garlic. Gradually pour the liquid mix into the bowl of sesame paste, stirring as you go, until all the liquid has been added and you get a nicely emulsified, velvety sauce.
3. Pour the sesame sauce across the vegetables, then top with the black and white sesame and spring onions.

bunches of youmaicai, sesame paste, water, clove of garlic, spring onions, black

Taken from food52.com/recipes/40697-chinese-sesame-lettuce-salad (may not work)