I did not take this photo. Annoying that there are clearly hot chillies in this dish above, but none specified in the recipe.
Look try not to go mental because I’ve mentioned the Hemsleys and use the comments box to slag them off. Not cool. They’re just trying to earn a living and they look alright in photos.
Plus, listen to me, Spikers: white carbs and refined sugar are terrible. They’ll rot your teeth and make a mess of your digestion. I’m not being some sort of evangelical nutcase, I’ve always known this. Any old schoolers over here from Recipe Rifle will recall I rarely posted a recipe that called for pasta, potatoes, rice or sugar.
But I used to eat a fair amount of all those things because I was young and so it didn’t matter. But after 35 if you want to achieve any sort of ideal weight or shape you have to eat fish and greens. That’s it. No red meat. Vegetables, fish and greens and not much of it.
And we all need fresh ideas of what to do with greens, right? RIGHT??
I had this the other night at dinner and it was absolutely terrific. There is a clever breaking-down of the kale that goes on with the acidic dressing that renders the kale not a chewy, spiky, potentially hazardous chokable foodstuff, but more like very interesting salad leaves.
I am grateful to Petra Teacher for alerting me to and supplying me with this recipe.
Sesame Kale salad
Serves 4 as a side
250g kale, thick stems removed and leaves finely sliced
1 large red pepper, deseeded and diced
2 large carrots, spiralized, julienned or peeled into ribbons
4 spring onions or 1 small onion, finely sliced
A handful of sesame (white or black), pumpkin, sunflower or chia seeds (optional)
A large handful of fresh coriander (leaves and stalks) or coriander and mint leaves, chopped
For the dressing
3cm piece of fresh root ginger (unpeeled if organic), finely grated
3 garlic cloves, finely grated – personally I think you only need one clove of raw garlic in any recipe
4 tbsp lime or lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp sesame oil (non-toasted)
4 tsp tamari
2 tsp raw honey or maple syrup
A pinch of finely diced fresh red chilli or chilli flakes/powder, to taste
Black pepper
1 Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl with a fork.
2 Add the kale and toss together using your hands before leaving to marinate, covered, for a few hours in the fridge. If you’re making it in a rush, massage the leaves for 1 minute with the dressing as this will speed up the softening process.
3 When the kale has finished marinating, add the red pepper, carrots and spring onions or onion to the bowl.
4 Toast the seeds (if using) in a dry pan on a medium-low heat for 30 seconds. Serve the salad with the fresh herbs and the toasted seeds sprinkled on top.
like the look of this, but apple cider vinegar – the phrase no the ingredient is beginning to tiiriate me as much as pan fried what other cider vinegars are there???
This looks gorgeous! I have everything will give it a go. Problem with sesame seeds though. I suspect they are the work of the devil. Would pine nuts work? I’d probably add chillis too. Thank you! Love it…just like the Rifle, (or not!)
don’t use pine nuts, not the right flavour at all, just leave out the sesame
Thanks! Just seen your replies!! Best have a look at settings!
I had never heard of the Hemsleys so I Googled. They are so beautiful I just want to do whatever they say. How do you manage this no carbs thing though day to day – do you always eat differently to your kids and do separate dinner times?
Yes absolutely – my kids eat dinner at 5pm and I eat at 7.30 with Giles. We eat incredibly spicy things, lots of cavolo nero and kale or we’re out for dinner so not really practical to eat with the kids as they’re just a bit small for all that… xx
Thought as much it just doesn’t seem to work for us that way at the moment, our kids are such erratic sleepers that when we tried it I was ready to murder people by the time I finally ate so find it easier to all eat at the same time 6ish. I do agree with you though, I stick to wholewheat as much as possible.
Yes yes white carbs and sugar, terrible awful unhealthy gut rot, you’re quite right Esther… *hides Ocado order of chocolate brioche, carrot cake and brownies*
This is all well and good but since the kale doesn’t give me a feckin massage, I dont see why I should have to either.
Yum! Looks wonderful. Going to try it, thank you xxx
I made a truncated version and tastes on but goodness me it’s hard work to eat – chomp chomp I felt like the hungry caterpillar
ha ha! so good for you though… I find the longer you leave it to marinate in the citrus the less tough it is: overnight is better than all day…
I will have leftovers tomorrow.. Hopefully less tough after extra marinating…
ought to be …