Refreshing Watercress Salad with Japanese Sesame Dressing

Watercress is an ancient and venerable plant and has been a favourite in Europe and Asia for centuries, prized for its piquant, pungent, mustard-like taste. Watercress quickly stir-fried with an array of spices and condiments was a familiar and much-favoured aromatic treat in my mother’s kitchen as I grew up. However, when I lived in Europe, I discovered the refreshing, tart flavour of this plant eaten fresh from the garden and uncooked in a salad. I include here a suggested Asian dressing