Recipe: Indian summer salad

recipe indian

A tasty rice salad spiced up with ginger and topped with succulent prawns

INGREDIENTS

- 200g (7oz) basmati rice
- 100g (3½oz) sultanas
- 1tbsp medium curry paste
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
- 2cm piece of root ginger, peeled and grated
- 1tbsp black mustard seeds
- 1tbsp natural yoghurt
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 16 large tiger prawns, peeled
- 2tbsp light olive oil, plus a little extra for frying
- 2 carrots, washed and coarsely grated
- 1 small red onion, finely sliced
- 100g (3½oz) baby spinach leaves
- Large handful of toasted coconut flakes or flaked almonds
- Mint and yoghurt raita, to serve (optional)


METHOD

First of all, cook the rice, and leave to cool. The best way to do this is to place it in a saucepan with 275ml cold water and a pinch of salt. Place over a high heat and as soon as it boils, reduce the heat to as low as possible.

Scatter over the sultanas, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook for 10 minutes, turn off the heat, and leave for 5 minutes with the lid on. Fluff up with a fork, and leave to cool. in a separate small bowl mix together the curry paste, garlic, ginger, mustard seeds, yoghurt and half of the lemon juice.

Season with salt and pepper and then add the prawns. Turn until they are coated in the spiced yoghurt mixture and leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat a griddle or frying pan and brush with a little olive oil. once it is hot, lay the prawns in the pan and cook for a few minutes each side until they are cooked through and becoming golden.

Thread them onto skewers to make them easier to turn. While they are cooking, toss the cooked rice together with the grated carrot, spinach leaves, red onion, remaining lemon juice and olive oil.

Season with salt and pepper. Place in a large bowl, or spoon onto individual plates. Sit the prawns on top. Scatter with the toasted coconut or flaked almonds and serve with raita.

Pour over the salad and mix well.

Divide the salad between plates and arrange the duck on the side, either whole or sliced. Scatter the almonds over the top.

Mix together the harissa paste and yoghurt and serve with the duck and lentil salad.


TOP TIP

Slices of marinated chicken breast, paneer or halloumi cheese are a great alternative to the prawn.