It wasn’t long ago when I would have balked at the idea of any fruit other than tomatoes in my salad. Honestly, fruity salads were not really my thing – too juicy, too sweet, and not in a good way.

In recent years, however, I have worked towards overcoming this prejudice – the salad that changed me was pan-fried pear and lentils with blue cheese and crispy sage. I loved the sweetness of the pears alongside the earthy lentils, enlivened with an earnest hit of salty cheese.

Since then, I’ve experimented with a number of fruits in salad, with very pleasing results – oranges paired perfectly with fennel and olives, grapes deliciously roasted with a splash of balsamic, rockmelon happily united with melty grilled haloumi, and peaches brought to life with creamy mozzarella.

The trick in mastering a successful fruity salad is to be brave in counterbalancing the sweetness with strong, punchy savoury flavours.

Lately, this spicy grapefruit salad has become my weeknight go-to. Grapefruit, with its signature zest and slightly bitter finish, adds brightness to the kale and grains. The spicy Asian lime dressing is a flavour bomb, adding a big kick of sweet, salt, sour and spice. Add texture and a touch of the tropics with the addition of toasted coconut, peanuts and crispy fried shallots.

Spicy kale, grapefruit and coconut salad

serves 3-4



1 bunch (250g) kale or cavolo nero, stems removed

2 ruby red grapefruit

1 cup cooked farro or brown rice

¾ cup coconut flakes, toasted

½ cup peanuts, toasted and finely chopped

handful of basil leaves, torn

¼ cup crispy fried shallots

sea salt and black pepper

lime wedges, to serve

Spicy lime dressing



¼ cup grapefruit juice

Juice ½ lime

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce

½-1 long red chilli or 1 tsp chilli flakes

Finely shred the kale and set aside.



Cut the top and the bottom off the grapefruit, and stand it up on a cutting board. Using a sharp paring knife and working top to bottom, cut away the peel, making sure to remove as much of the white pith as possible.

Hold the peeled grapefruit in your hand – over a bowl to catch the juice – and cut between the membranes to segment. Repeat with the second grapefruit.

Squeeze out any juice from the leftover membrane into a bowl and keep it for the dressing. (If you are short on time, or like the texture and bitterness of pith, you can simply cut the grapefruit up into bite-sized pieces.)

To make the dressing, combine ¼ cup of the reserved grapefruit juice with the lime juice, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, tamari and chilli. Whisk to combine. Season with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust lime, sugar and salt until you have a balanced sweet, salty and spicy dressing.

Place the kale in a large bowl and add the farro or brown rice, half the coconut flakes, half the peanuts, and the basil leaves. Pour in the dressing, season with sea salt and black pepper, and toss to combine. Top with grapefruit pieces and lightly toss again. Top with the remaining coconut flakes, peanuts and crispy fried shallots, and serve with a wedge of lime on the side.