Kale Salad with Roasted Pumpkin and Tahini-Yogurt Dressing

I use a technique for the kale leaves called massaging – or as some prefer, marinating the leaves. It is a fantastic method to work with raw kale leaves (or any cabbage leaf). The massaging breaks down the plant’s cells and wilts the leaves. The potent aromas dissipate but the healthy enzymes in the leaf are protected from oxidation by a thin coating of oil. The effect is interesting and tasty – the wilted leaves are transformed into a deep green color and the bitterness and offensive sulfur-like aromas vanish. The kale is now mild…almost sweet and perfect for a

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I use a technique for the kale leaves called massaging – or as some prefer, marinating the leaves. It is a fantastic method to work with raw kale leaves (or any cabbage leaf). The massaging breaks down the plant’s cells and wilts the leaves. The potent aromas dissipate but the healthy enzymes in the leaf are protected from oxidation by a thin coating of oil. The effect is interesting and tasty – the wilted leaves are transformed into a deep green color and the bitterness and offensive sulfur-like aromas vanish. The kale is now mild…almost sweet and perfect for a salad.

Curly kale works best for this recipe, although any assertive winter green also works. I chose the Hokkaido pumpkin because the peel is edible and flavorsome – it also looks cool. Other pumpkin varieties work if they are dense and hold together when roasted – this includes the majority of Asian varieties.

I enjoy eating this salad once or twice per week when kale is available fresh. It is simple, delicious and extremely healthy. What more could you possibly want?

Difficulty: simple
Yield: makes about 4-6 servings