This salad is topped with one of my favourite Japanese dressings. You can replace the brown rice with grated raw cauliflower and add other raw seasonal vegetables of choice.
Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS
¾ cup brown rice
1½ cups water
8 large kale leaves, stems removed
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
6 fresh dates, roughly chopped
1 avocado, diced
1 carrot, peeled
2 tablespoons toasted mixed seeds
Dressing
3 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon white miso
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons cold water
sea salt and ground pepper
METHOD
Put the rice and water in a saucepan with a pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly and cook for 45 minutes. Fluff up with a fork then spread onto a large plate to cool.
Rip the kale into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl with ½ teaspoon sea salt. Scrunch handfuls of the kale in your fingers for about 2 minutes until it becomes darker and softer in texture and has reduced in volume.
Dressing: Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl and season, adding a little more water if needed to make a pourable dressing.
To assemble: Add the cabbage to the kale and pour over most of the dressing, turning to coat well. Add the rice, dates and avocado and toss again.
Transfer to a serving bowl. Use a vegetable peeler to cut long thin strips off the carrot.
Place on top of the salad and scatter with the seeds. Drizzle over the remaining dressing.

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