Aemono
The term aemono means dressed (ae) dishes. These are often made with fresh seasonal vegetables, including green beans, spinach, cucumber, daikon and yams that have been pre-prepared by cutting, boiling or frying. Sometimes sashimi or seafood may also be used. These are then dressed with a variety of seasonings that may include soy sauce, vinegar, miso, sesame seeds, tofu or grated daikon.
Aemono are referred to by the name of the dressing used—for example, goma-ae involves vegetables dressed with ground sesame seeds (goma), soy sauce and sugar; shira-ae dressing is made of tofu mashed in a mortar, mixed with parboiled vegetables seasoned with soy sauce and sugar. Other favorites are sumiso-ae dressing of vinegar, miso and sugar; bainiku-ae, umeboshi pickled Japanese apricot paste mixed with soy sauce and sugar; and karashijoyu-ae, a combination of Japanese hot mustard, soy sauce and dashi.
