Kale, Brown Rice and Avocado Salad with Miso and Tahini Dressing

, from Issue #60. September, 2015
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
Kale, Brown Rice and Avocado Salad with Miso and Tahini Dressing

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.