Warm Kale Salad with Chickpeas, Tahini and Pomegranate

A classic Levantine mezze for kale feasts: tender kale is fried with cumin chickpeas and served with a tahini-lemon dressing, sumac and pomegranate. Wonderful warm or lukewarm, for sharing on a large platter.

By yumbelo · 4 servings · 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 500 g Kale
• 1 can Chickpeas (canned, drained)
• 4 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 pc Onion
• 1 pc Garlic clove
• 1 tsp Cumin, ground
• 1 tsp Sweet paprika powder
• 3 tbsp Tahini (sesame paste)
• 1 pc Lemon, juice
• 4 tbsp Water
• 1 tsp Sumac
• 1 tsp Za'atar
• 1 pc Pomegranate, seeds
• 1 bunch Mint, fresh leaves
• Salt
• Pepper

Method

1. Wash the kale, remove the tough stems and roughly chop the leaves.
2. Finely dice the onion and finely chop the garlic clove.
3. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan, sweat the onion over medium heat for about 5 minutes until translucent, then briefly fry the garlic along with it.
4. Add the drained chickpeas, season with cumin and paprika powder and fry for 5 minutes until they take on a little color. Remove and set aside.
5. Heat the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil in the pan, add the kale in batches and let it wilt while turning for 5 to 7 minutes. Pour in four tablespoons of water, cover and steam the kale for about 5 minutes until tender.
6. For the dressing, stir the tahini with the lemon juice and two to three tablespoons of cold water until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Season the kale with salt and pepper, spread it on a platter and top with the chickpeas.
8. Drizzle the tahini dressing over it and sprinkle with sumac and za'atar.
9. Scatter the pomegranate seeds and the picked mint leaves on top and serve immediately.