Mulligatawny Salad

Number of Servings: 4

Salad Ingredients:

175 g (6 oz) chicken breast, cut into bite-size chunks
1 teaspoon (5 mL) curry powder
Vegetable or grapeseed oil
Sprinkle of Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup (185 mL) white long grain rice, uncooked

1 medium shallot, minced
1 medium carrot, grated
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 medium apple, unpeeled, cored, and cut into bite-size chunks
¼ cup (60 mL) golden raisins
¾ cup (185 mL) chopped fresh tomatoes
¼ cup (60 mL) chopped fresh cilantro

Dressing Ingredients:

2 tablespoons (15 mL) fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon (5 mL) honey
3 tablespoons (45 mL) vegetable or grapeseed oil
¼ teaspoon (1.5 mL) turmeric
½ – ¾ teaspoon (2.5-3 mL) curry powder
¼ teaspoon (1.5 mL) cinnamon
2-3 tablespoons (30-45 mL) plain Greek yogurt
Sea salt; freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Prepare chicken: Toss chicken breast chunks with the curry powder, salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a sauté pan; Stir-fry chicken chunks (medium heat) until just cooked – 5-6 minutes.   Set aside.
2. Prepare Rice: Bring a pot of water to a boil; add some salt; add rice. Cook, over low heat, until rice is tender (15-20 minutes, depending on the type of rice – check package recommendations). Drain rice; give it a quick rinse under cold water; and spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet to cool completely.   When rice has cooled, place in a large salad bowl and drizzle with a little oil to prevent sticking.
3. Add cooled chicken to rice; add the shallot, carrot, celery, apple, tomatoes, and cilantro to the bowl. Stir to thoroughly combine.
4. Make the dressing: Whisk together lime juice, oil, honey, and spices. Whisk in the yogurt; season to taste, adding more curry powder if you wish.
5. Pour dressing over salad and thoroughly combine. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.   Let it come to room temperature before serving. Add a little yogurt or mayonnaise if it seems to be too dry.

Questions and comments are always welcome    alex@chilipeppersandpears.com ^[1]