Bombay Inspired Kale Salad with Falafels and Spiced Cashews

This salad is full of flavour from the fresh ginger, herbs and spices, balanced out with sweet raisins. Served with Indian spiced falafels and raita.

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Make and roll the falafels. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Ingredients

  • 400g tin of chickpeas (drained, rinsed and patted dry)
  • ½ red onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup green peas (defrosted, patted dry)
  • 1 Tbsp curry powder -> 1 ½ ?
  • 1 lemon (zest)
  • 2 cups fresh coriander (loosely packed)
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1 Tbsp sesame seeds (toasted)
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  1. Add the chickpeas to a blender, nutribullet or food processor, blend until chunkier than a fine crumb then place into a large bowl.
  2. Add the onion and garlic to the blender, blend until a paste forms. Add the green peas, curry powder, lemon zest and coriander; blend until combined. (If you are blending in a nutribullet you will need to be patient and may need to stir and shake intermittently to make sure all the ingredients are fully incorporated).
  3. Add the pea mix to the bowl of chickpeas, then add the flour and sesame seeds; mix well to fully combine all of the ingredients.
  4. Using a spoon and your hands, form approximately 20 small falafels.

Partially make the raita. Store in an airtight jar in the fridge.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup yoghurt
  • 1 garlic clove (crushed)

Method

  1. Mix the yoghurt and garlic together, you’ll need to add the cucumber at the same time you serve.

Tips

  • You may recognise these falafels from our Baked Falafel Flatbreads recipe. We’ve adapted this recipe, changing up the herbs and spices to make them perfectly suited for this Indian inspired salad.
  • You can also pan fry the falafels. Simply add 2-3 Tbsp of coconut oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot add the falafels, cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown, flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and season with salt.  Repeat with the remaining falafels.
  • Make sure to massage the kale well, you’ll know it’s been ‘massaged’ enough when it has softened and gone limp. This helps to break down the fibrousness of the kale and this also helps with digestion.
  • This salad keeps well in the fridge for 3 days, as it retains its crunch making it perfect for lunches.

Vegetables

  • Swap red onion for spring onion.
  • Add finely sliced red cabbage.

Protein

  • Swap out the falafels Tandoori Chicken.

Ingredients

  • 450g – 600g chicken thighs
  • 1 cup greek yogurt
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 garlic garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 2 tsp ginger (grated)
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground chilli
  • 1 Tbsp garam masala

Method

  1. Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix well.
  2. Add chicken, coat well in the yoghurt spices, let marinate for as long as possible.
  3. Remove the majority of the marinade before cooking the chicken.
  4. Grill your chicken just before serving – oil your grill well, and heat to medium-high, once hot add the chicken and cook until cooked through 10 – 12 minutes.

Other

  • Swap cashews for peanuts.
  • Add toasted coconut threads.
Ingredients

Falafels

  • 400g tin of chickpeas (drained, rinsed and patted dry)
  • ½ red onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup green peas (defrosted, patted dry)
  • 1 ½ Tbsp curry powder  
  • 1 lemon (zest)
  • 2 cups fresh coriander (loosely packed)
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1 Tbsp sesame seeds (toasted)
  • Salt and pepper

Salad

  • 1 bunch kale (finely sliced)
  • 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lemon (juice)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 carrots (julienned or grated)
  • ½ cup mint (roughly chopped)
  • ½ cup coriander (roughly chopped)
  • 1 red chilli (finely sliced)
  • ½ red onion (finely sliced)
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • 1 Tbsp ginger (finely grated)

Spiced Cashews

  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil
  • ⅓ cup cashews (roughly chopped)
  • 1 Tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds

Garlic raita

  • ½ cup yoghurt
  • ½ cucumber (grated)
  • 1 garlic clove (crushed)
Method

Falafels

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius, fan bake.
  2. Add the chickpeas to a blender, nutribullet or food processor, blend to a crumb texture then place into a large bowl.
  3. Add the onion and garlic to the blender, blend until a paste forms. Add the green peas, curry powder, lemon zest and coriander; blend until combined. (If you are blending in a nutribullet you will need to be patient and may need to stir and shake intermittently to make sure all the ingredients are fully incorporated).
  4. Add the pea mix to the bowl of chickpeas, then add the flour and sesame seeds; mix well to fully combine all of the ingredients.
  5. Using a spoon and your hands, form approximately 12-16 falafels (about 2 Tbsp per falafel). Place on a large tray and into the oven for 30 minutes, rotating halfway. The falafels should be golden and crisp on the outside when cooked.

Salad

  1. In a large bowl add the kale, drizzle over the olive oil, lemon juice and season with salt. Use your hands to massage the kale for a few minutes, so that every leaf is shiny and has softened.
  2. Add the carrots, mint, coriander, red chilli, onion, raisins and ginger to the kale, toss well and set aside.

Spicy cashews

  1. Add coconut oil and the cashews to a small saucepan, over a low heat, cook for 2-3 minutes or until cashews are golden, then add the curry powder and cumin seed, toast for another 1 minute or until spices are fragrant.

Garlicky raita

  1. Place all the ingredients into a small bowl, mix well and season to taste.

Assembling the bowl

  1. Divide the salad between 4 bowls, sprinkle over the cashews, nestle in the falafels and top with the raita.
Variations

Vegetables

  • Swap red onion for spring onion.
  • Add finely sliced red cabbage.

Protein

  • Swap out the falafels Tandoori Chicken.

Ingredients

  • 450g – 600g chicken thighs
  • 1 cup greek yogurt
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 garlic garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 2 tsp ginger (grated)
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground chilli
  • 1 Tbsp garam masala

Method

  1. Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix well.
  2. Add chicken, coat well in the yoghurt spices, let marinate for as long as possible.
  3. Remove the majority of the marinade before cooking the chicken.
  4. Grill your chicken just before serving – oil your grill well, and heat to medium-high, once hot add the chicken and cook until cooked through 10 – 12 minutes.

Other

  • Swap cashews for peanuts.
  • Add toasted coconut threads.

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