Curried rice salad        

A flavourful main or side dish!

I love rice salads and this one is a particular favourite. It’s a very versatile recipe in that you can vary the fruit, swapping in ripe mango or peaches in place of the oranges. This is a great summertime recipe, too, as it’s perfectly packable and the mayonnaise-free salad can sit out in warm temperatures for a little while without fear of quickly spoiling. Best of all, it will be appreciated by vegans, vegetarians and those following gluten and/or dairy free diets. If you’re looking for more fresh ideas on how to cook with rice, check out this recipe roundup.

Ingredients

Salad:

• 1 cup (210 g) uncooked basmati rice
• 2 seedless clementine oranges, peeled and coarsely chopped *
• 1/2 cup (60 g) pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)       
• 1/2 cup (70 g) roasted cashews, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup (36 g) currants or raisins
• 2 tablespoons (7.5 g) chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• Lime wedges, to serve
• Additional chopped cilantro, to serve

*or 1 tin mandarin orange segments, drained and patted dry

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup (60 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 teaspoon (5 g) medium red curry paste (or more, to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.8 g) salt
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon (3.75 g) chopped cilantro leaves
• 1/3 cup (90 mL) vegetable oil

Method

• Rinse and drain the rice; put it in a medium-sized pot with a lid. Add 2 cups (500 mL) of water; bring to a boil then lower heat so it is just simmering. Cook approximately 15 minutes, till all water has been absorbed. Remove from heat; let sit 5 minutes then transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate until cool.
• While rice cooks, prepare dressing by placing lime juice, curry paste, salt, maple syrup and cilantro in a small jar with a tight lid. Shake to blend well. Add vegetable oil and shake again. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
• When rice has cooled, add the clementines, pepitas, cashews, currants, cilantro and green onions to the bowl. Toss gently to combine.
• Shake the dressing then drizzle about 2/3 of it over the rice mixture; toss gently. Refrigerate for up to 6 hours if not serving immediately.
• At serving time, drizzle remaining dressing over top and toss again. Sprinkle with a bit more cilantro. Pass the lime wedges at the table should people wish to add an additional squeeze over top.

Serves 2 – 3 as a main course or 4 – 6 as a side dish.