Massaged kale and plantain salad

The cold season is officially here and we need to ensure we combine comfort foods with lots of greens so we keep on top of our daily vitamin intake. For us, that means eating kale salad almost every single day. Until we discovered how to make kale be tender and taste delicious, we sort of...avoided it.

And I bet you did too because it doesn't taste very good when it's boiled and let's face it, we want to preserve the nutrients from the raw kale so eating uncooked is best. But how?! I mean it's so chewy and taught. Well, we discovered the holy secret. Are you ready?

Massaged kale

Yep, you read it right: massaged kale. The secret to enjoying a tender kale salad is to massage your kale for 3-5 minutes. How does one even begin to do it? Remove the kale from the stems, chop it as small or large as you like it and place it in a deep bowl. Add a little olive oil and massage that baby for 3-5 minutes. This helps the leaves become tender. And it also tastes a lot better.

You can add a bit of lemon juice and a touch of salt also if you prefer. It's all delicious and lovely. Now that you know how to make the base of a kale salad, the toppings are pretty much up to you.

We love to add chickpeas for added protein, plantain for some good carbs (super filling and delicious) and the best ever chilli dressing you'll ever try.

Spiced chickpeas

Get a can of chickpeas and drain the aquafaba. Alternatively, store the aquafaba for later use. You can make a lot of fun things with it, including this awesome Seville blossom cocktail.

Add the chickpeas in a frying pan with ground coriander and paprika. Fry until the chickpeas become fragrant and warm. Add on top of your kale salad. yum!

How to fry plantains

To make your plantains, peel them and slice them as thin as you like. Heat up a little olive oil in a frying pan and add the sliced plantains. Add a touch of cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper works really well in combination with the sweet and starchy plantain. To caramelise them a little, we love to add a couple of tsp of sugar.

Fry them for a few minutes until both sides become golden. You'll know they are ready when they get a bit of caramelised edges here and there and the colour changes from yellow to golden. Plus, you'll start wanting to eat them right away.

I don't know, there's something truly awesome about fried plantains. I never cooked much with plantains before but now I'm addicted. Besides, kale and plantain go so well together.

The chilli dressing

In all fairness, it's this chilli dressing that brings the dish together. Add the chopped spring onion and sliced chilli to a frying pan and add paprika, ginger and cumin. Sautée them for about 3-4 minutes and set aside.

Combine the water, vinegar, olive oil, tomato paste, agave syrup, lime juice and a tad bit of salt in a blender. Add the sautéed onion and chilli and blitz until you get a smooth dressing.

This is the time to taste. Add more agave syrup if you need more sweetness. More lime juice if you need some extra tangy kick and a little cayenne pepper if you want this to be spicer.

Store this dressing in an air-tight container and keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It's super delicious and works so well with so many salads.

This recipe has been developed entirely by Yuzu Bakes. Any resemblance with other recipes is purely coincidental.

Massaged kale and plantain salad

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• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Total: 20 mins
• Serves 4 people

Categories: Dinner, Lunch Cusine: African, Mediterranean

Description

The perfect lunch salad with massaged kale for an extra tender bite, topped with chickpeas for protein and grilled plantains for good carbs. You won't get enough of this salad and you'll want to enjoy for every single lunch.

Ingredients

(USA / Metric)

The Chilli Sauce

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil + 2 tbsp for frying
• 3 medium chillies
• 4 medium spring onion
• 1/4 cup agave syrup
• 1 fl oz lime juice
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• 1 tsp cumin

Kale Salad

• 5 cup, chopped kale
• 5 cups chickpea (cooked, from a can)
• 2 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp for frying
• 2 medium plantain
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground coriander

Instructions

• The sauce

  1. Pre-heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add 2 tbsp of oil. Add the spring onions and sliced chilli. Add the paprika, ginger and cumin. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
  2. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients to a blender. Add the sautéed onion and chillies to the blender and blitz until you have a smooth sauce.
  3. Set aside. Store any leftover sauce for 2 weeks in an air-tight container.

• The salad

  1. Remove kale from the stems and chop. Add chopped kale to a large bowl and add olive oil. Use your clean hands to massage the kale for 3-5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and set aside.
  2. Open a can of chickpeas, drain and add the chickpeas to a frying pan. Add the coriander and paprika as well as some salt and pepper to taste. Fry for 3-4 minutes until you can smell the spices and chickpeas are warm. Transfer over the kale.
  3. Peel the plantain and slice. Heat up a little oil in a frying pan. Add the plantains, sugar and cayenne pepper. Gently fry the plantains for 2-3 minutes on each side until they become golden. Transfer over the kale and chickpea bowl.
  4. Add the chilli sauce to taste and serve immediately. Any leftover salad can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

Nutritional Information

Total Nutrition Facts

Serves 4 people

Amount Per Serving
Calories 771
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27 g			35%
	Saturated Fat 4 g		18%
	Trans Fat 0 g		0%
	Polyunsaturated Fat 5 g
	Monounsaturated Fat 16 g
Cholesterol 0 mg			0%
Sodium 104 mg			5%
Total Carbs 119 g			43%
	Dietary Fiber 23 g		82%
	Sugar 41 g		82%
Protein 23 g			46%
Vitamin A 135% Vitamin C 131% Calcium 19% Iron 52% Vitamin D 0% Magnesium 45% Potassium 36% Zinc 35% Phosphorus 64% Thiamin (B1) 36% Riboflavin (B2) 28% Niacin (B3) 21% Vitamin B6 71% Folic Acid (B9) 0% Vitamin B12 0% Vitamin E 40% Vitamin K 1155%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice

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