Rinse the quinoa. Tip it into a fine sieve and run cold water through it for about thirty seconds, rubbing the grains with your fingers. The water should run clear rather than cloudy — this is what removes the soapy-tasting saponin coating, so don't skip it.

Cook the quinoa. Add the rinsed quinoa and 400 ml water or stock to a medium saucepan and bring to a rolling boil over a high heat. You'll hear the gentle tick-tick of the grains bubbling against the lid. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, until the grains look translucent around the edges with a tiny white curl visible. Take the pan off the heat and leave it covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. The grains should be light and separate, never gluey.

Massage the kale. While the quinoa steams, put the shredded kale in your largest salad bowl, drizzle over the olive oil and a pinch of salt, and rub the leaves between your fingers for a full two minutes. You'll feel the tough fibres relax and the volume shrink by roughly a third, and the colour will deepen from dull green to a glossy, dark emerald. This is the step that turns kale from chore into treat.

Make the dressing. Spoon the tahini, maple syrup, lemon juice, vinegar, crushed garlic, salt and pepper into a small jar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake hard for 20 seconds. It will look seized and grainy at first — that's completely normal. Add the cold water one tablespoon at a time, shaking vigorously between each addition, until the dressing turns pale, glossy and pourable, about the texture of double cream. Taste it: it should be nutty, tangy and just sweet enough.

Cool the quinoa slightly. Spread the cooked quinoa out on a plate or tray for 5 minutes. If you tip it into the salad while it's steaming hot it will wilt the kale and turn the whole bowl limp. Warm is fine; hot is not.

Build the salad. Add the warm quinoa, grated carrot, diced pepper and sliced spring onions to the massaged kale. Pour over two-thirds of the dressing and toss thoroughly with salad servers, lifting from the bottom of the bowl so everything gets coated.

Rest, taste, adjust. Let the salad sit for 5 minutes so the kale absorbs the dressing, then taste a proper forkful. Add the remaining dressing if it needs it, plus a final pinch of salt. Finish with a crack of black pepper and serve at room temperature — the flavours are far more pronounced than when it's fridge-cold.