Asian-Style Kale Salad

Last October the BF and I were invited to dinner at the house of some dear friends. Husband, wife, and two adorable kids. The hubs is a grill-master, and the wife is a wonderful cook who treated us to Indian-spiced grilled chicken, roasted yams and a kale salad that was so good I asked if we could use it for a future blog, and she was kind enough to say yes. She does not know the specific origins of the recipe as it came to her from a friend. No matter. Our benefit, and yours.

Since that dinner the salad has accompanied many meals for the meat-loving BF, and was a highlight of our last Thanksgiving feast. It's almost too easy to assemble, and could not be ​healthier.

NOTE: Okay, maybe a little healthier. To make this vegetarian dish vegan, simply substitute the mayonnaise with Vegenaise eggless or other vegan substitute.

Adapted from: Our dear friends around the corner!
Number of servings: 2-4

Dressing
Ingredients

• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely grated
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• ¼ cup sesame oil
• ¼-½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (use less if you don't like too much heat)
• Dash of cumin

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Salad
Ingredients

• 1 bunch Lacinato kale (aka Tuscan kale or dinosaur kale, not the curly kind), rinsed and thoroughly dried
• ¼-½ cup cilantro, rinsed, dried and roughly chopped
• 1 large carrot, shredded 
• ¼ -½ cup sunflower seeds (salted was used here)
• Salt, to taste

Directions

1. Use a sharp knife to cut out the mid rib and stem of each kale leaf, and discard. Stack all the leaves on top of one another and slice crosswise into thin slices.
2. Throw all salad ingredients into a bowl.
3. Drizzle the dressing into the kale mix and toss. You might not need all the dressing.
4. Salt if needed.

[Ed. note: Quick addendum to give a heartfelt farewell to a man who REALLY loves his kale, former San Francisco Giant outfielder Hunter Pence. As a bay area kid who grew up experiencing a lot of awful Giants baseball (Boo LeMaster!), it was thrilling to watch you patrol AT&T Park's angular right field, preach the championship blood through two World Series victories (2012, 2014), and get that ridiculous three-stage hit that people here will forever be talking about. All love and best of luck to you as you play for your Arlington-hometown Texas Rangers. Yes. Yes. Yes.]