This kale tabbouleh is a twist on the Lebanese classic
One of my favourite Middle Eastern dishes is tabbouleh. Tabbouleh is a herby salad, classically made with a base of bulgur wheat. It is most typically associated with Lebanon, although varieties are eaten throughout the Middle East and North of Africa. We are slowly slipping into autumn here and with it, some more wintery ingredients. I picked up some fresh crisp green kale from the organic shop, along with some fresh pomegranates. I’ve really been craving some yummy tabbouleh for a while now. Adam has been a bit poorly, so I wanted to make him something that was packed full of goodness to get him back on the road to recovery. So, I got the inspiration to make this gluten-free superfood tabbouleh, with kale and pomegranate.
Pomegranates and kale are superfoods of note
Kale is a real superfood, packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, low in calories and high in fibre. It is full of vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, selenium and Vitamins A, B, C, E and K. This is all wonderful to help prevent diseases such as cancer, heart disease and vision problems, as well as boosting the immune system.
Not only are pomegranates juicy and flavourful, they are also very healthy. They are low in calories and a great source of antioxidants. In addition, they are a great source of Vitamin C, fibre and potassium. It is also thought that eating pomegranates can help ward off lots of diseases, such as cancer, lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart problems and ailments such as arthritis. So all in all lots of delicious goodness!
Let the fresh vegetables and herbs shine through
To make the dressing, keep things simple. A good quality extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses and a little crushed garlic is all you really need. The salad already has a lot of flavour and herbs, so you want to just bring everything together and not make the dressing too overwhelming. To add a little extra luxury, I have aded roasted pine nuts to the tabbouleh. If you can’t get hold of any, you can swop them for roasted flaked almonds.
Kale Tabbouleh with Pomegranate and Pine Nuts
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Ingredients
- 3 ripe red tomatoes (approx. 300g)
- 1/2 cucumber (approx. 150g)
- 1 bunch fresh bright green kale (about 250g)
- 4 spring onions
- 30g flat leaf parsley
- 20g mint
- 1 pomegranate, or a 100g tub of pomegranate kernels
- 30g pine nuts
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3-4 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. pomegranate molasses
- Zest of 1/2 a lemon
- 1/4 garlic clove, finely crushed
- 1/2 tsp. sumac
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
- Cut the tomatoes into small cubes, and place in a sieve. Cut the cucumber into similar sized cubes. Sprinkle the tomatoes and cucumbers with a little salt and leave them in the sieve to drain. They will release any excess liquid, which could make your tabbouleh watery.
- Wash the kale very well and dry. Cut out the thick central stalks. Chop up the kale quite finely. Set aside.
- Slice the spring onions at an angle and add to the kale.
- Remove the stalks from the parsley and chop it up relatively fine. Remove the stalks from the mint and chiffonade it (cut into thin slices). Add the parsley and mint to the kale.
- Remove the seeds from the pomegranate. Set aside.
- Place the pine nuts in a small baking tray and place in the oven. Roast for 5-10 minutes until they are turning golden and smelling deliciously nutty.
- To make the dressing, place the olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, lemon zest, garlic, and sumac into a jug. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and whisk well to combine. Taste and add more seasoning as needed.
- Drain the tomatoes and cucumbers and add them to the kale. Add half the pomegranate seeds, reserving the rest for garnish. Pour over the dressing and toss all the ingredients together to combine well.
- Place the salad in an attractive salad bowl, and garnish with the remaining pomegranate seeds and the toasted pine nuts.
