Kale and Puffed Rice Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing

Lunch Break: Imprint Projects

  • Lunch Break: Imprint Projects
  • Lunch Break: Imprint Projects
  • Lunch Break: Imprint Projects

INSTRUCTIONS

Remove the center rib from your kale. Tear kale into tiny pieces and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Now, MASSAGE. You should break down the leaves so that there are no rough edges.

In a blender, combine all ingredients for dressing, besides the walnut oil. Blend on low, and add oil slowly. If dressing is still too thick, add water one teaspoon at a time until it reaches a pourable state.

Chop apple into tiny cubes. Try to be consistent with the size. Squeeze lemon juice on top of the apple to prevent browning.

Dress the kale, making sure you coat every last leaf. You can use your hands for this.

Top with puffed rice, sunflower and sesame seeds, and apple and minced chives. I added a chive flower as garnish. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix before serving.

RECIPE

DIFFICULTY

EASY

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SERVES

4

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PREP TIME

15 MINS

Ingredients

  • 1 
    head 
    curly kale, washed and dried
  •  
     
    olive oil and sea salt
  • 1 
    cup 
    puffed crispy rice
  • 1/2 
    cup 
    toasted sunflower seeds
  • 1 
    tbs 
    white sesame seeds, lightly toasted
  • 1 
    bunch 
    chives, minced
  • 1 
     
    Granny Smith apple, diced into perfect 1/4” cubes
  •  
     
    juice of 1/2 lemon

Dressing

  • 5 
    tbs 
    tahini
  • 1 
    tbs 
    maple syrup
  • 1 
    clove 
    garlic
  • 3 
    tbs 
    red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 
    cup 
    walnut oil (or olive oil if you don’t have)
  • 3 
    tbs 
    water

INSTRUCTIONS

Remove the center rib from your kale. Tear kale into tiny pieces and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Now, MASSAGE. You should break down the leaves so that there are no rough edges.

In a blender, combine all ingredients for dressing, besides the walnut oil. Blend on low, and add oil slowly. If dressing is still too thick, add water one teaspoon at a time until it reaches a pourable state.

Chop apple into tiny cubes. Try to be consistent with the size. Squeeze lemon juice on top of the apple to prevent browning.

Dress the kale, making sure you coat every last leaf. You can use your hands for this.

Top with puffed rice, sunflower and sesame seeds, and apple and minced chives. I added a chive flower as garnish. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix before serving.

This was my second stint catering lunch for the hard working crews at Imprint Projects, my husband Adam’s design and marketing agency in Chinatown. I love the challenge of making a vegetarian lunch for 13 people that can travel easily, and feel like a welcome home-cooked touch in the workplace. The trick is to keep it simple, and keeping it simple has never been my forté.

I was inspired by Jessica Koslow’s “Kabbouleh” salad that she contributed to SFP on behalf of her L.A. restaurant, SQIRL. She shared her signature puffed fried rice recipe with us, which was very generous, but even I  have to admit that the 24 hour prep time to make the rice was a serious deterrent.

But then, I stumbled upon a bag of packaged crispy rice in an Indian grocery store in Jackson Heights, Queens. With this, I could have all that texture and crunch, without the hassle. This rice is not the same as Rice Crispies or the puffed rice cereal you get at the health food store. This is crunchy and unsweetened, used for the incredibly delicious Indian snack, Bhel Puri.  It stands up well under dressing and won’t go soggy.

I must admit, I made a rookie mistake on this salad: I didn’t massage the kale sufficiently. I am still kicking myself for this bungle. There is nothing more disappointing than a curly kale salad that is rough around  the edges.

Please salad lovers do yourself a favor and massage the S%#T out of your kale!