Warm Paneer, Kale and Lentil salad with Citrus Mustard Dressing

Recipe by Anna Savage
Instagram: @annajoysavage

This warm winter salad with a comforting blend of cinnamon, kashmiri chilli (which adds warmth and colour but not too much heat) and fennel seeds is cosy, restorative and earthy. If the winter chills have already got you, you could even cook the kale to really stoke your internal fire – just stir fry briefly in a pan before pouring over the dressing

Ingredients

Ingredients in bold available at The Spice Emporium.

250g Rajah Lentils (Brown Biryani Dhal)
bunch of kale
4 radishes thinly sliced

500g Paneer

3 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tsp Cinnamon Powder

1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder

1 tsp Fennel Seeds

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

good grind of Black Pepper

1 tsp Salt, to taste

Dressing

1 1/2 tbsp Mustard (It’s Alive fermented mustard, or any quality brand)
1/2 Naartjie/Orange, juiced
3 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
60ml Olive Oil
Salt, to taste
Black Pepper to taste

40g Sunflower Seeds

Method

Method for Dressing

Whisk the dressing ingredients well until combined and season to taste.

Method for sauce

Rinse and soak the lentils in cold water for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
After 30 mins, place the lentils in a pot cover generously with cold water and bring to the boil.
As soon as boiling, turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and continue to cook for about 10 – 15 minutes until cooked. Watch them closely as they can go from slightly firm to mushy quite quickly. So check them from 10 minutes and every minute thereafter until they are perfect.
Drain, season with salt and keep warm until serving.
While the lentils are cooking, place all the spices and salt in a pestle and mortar and grind until the fennel seeds are cracked and release their flavour.
Tear the paneer in half to make nice craggy edges, toss with olive oil and rub the spice mix into the paneer.
Roast in the oven at 180 degrees for 15 – 20 mins until golden and crispy.
Pull the leaves off the tough stalks of the kale and wash and dry throughly.
Tear the kale leaves up into bite sized chunks, pour over half the dressing and massage into the leaves with some extra salt and papper.
Lightly toast the sunflower seeds in a pan until golden.

To serve, stir the remaining dressing through the still warm lentils. To plate, layer the dressed kale and warm lentils and radish then top with the roasted paneer and finsih off with sunflower seeds.