It has been the winter of lentils. I love them in soups, Mujaddara (a very favourite recipe already given) and salads. Cumin has been my favourite spice – so this dish was bound to please.

Big bags of kale are in every supermarket; an encouragement to start a new, healthy regime in the early weeks of the year. Inspiration for this salad came from a recipe in Sabrina Ghayour’s wonderful book,Sirocco.

100g Puy lentils
100g bulgar wheat
Olive oil
2 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely crushed
6 garlic cloves,crushed
2 red chillies, thinly sliced
400g kale
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Finely grated zest of two unwaxed lemons and juice of one
3 handfuls pumpkin seeds
100g feta cheese crumbled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon wedges to serve

Boil the Puy lentils and bulgar wheat separately in salted water until cooked. Immediately rinse them in cold water and drain.

Put a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a large saucepan. When hot, add the crushed cumin seeds and let them cook for a minute to darken and let off aroma. Add the garlic and chillies. Stir around and take the pan off the heat. Add the remaining spices and lemon zest.

Wash the kale and drain lightly. Add this to the pan together with one more tablespon of olive oil. Return the pan to the heat and stir so that the kale leaves become coated with the oil and spices. Put a lid on the pan and let the kale cook gently for a few more minutes, Stir well. Cover and put to one side.

Turn the Puy lentils and bulgar wheat into a large bowl, add the spicy kale mix and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add the lemon juice, more oil if required, and season generously. Stir in the pumpkin seeds.

Put into a serving dish and scatter over the crumbled feta and pomegranate seeds.