quick sunflower salad

i was wondering where my suribachi went.  

as some of you know, a suribachi is a serrated bowl with a rough interior,

sort of like a mortar and pestle, but one that shaves the skin off your knuckles

if you aren't paying attention.  it's great for macrobiotic cooking, as you can make

gomashio, dressings, and pastes in a snap.

turns out my dad has been using mine as a cereal bowl.

i made this quick little salad (bottom left in the photo) to bring some

flavor to my greens, some metal energy to my dinner, and some fatty oils to the food.

the thing i love about this salad is that it only uses one dish.  you can grind

and build the entire thing in your suribachi, making for an easy clean-up.

1/2 cup raw hulled sunflower seeds

3 scallions

1 tsp umeboshi plum paste

water as needed

heat cast-iron skillet to medium-high heat.  add sunflower seeds, stirring constantly until they release some oil and start to pop.  remove as soon as they begin to brown, as they will continue to cook in the bowl.

mince scallions as finely as possible, including white tips.

pour roasted sunflower seeds into suribachi or coffee grinder.  crush in a continuous direction until a fluffy powder.  add scallions, ume paste, and enough water to ensure a smooth mix (i added about 1 tbsp).

serve with greens and enjoy!