I’m mister scatterbrains at the moment, and can’t seem to figure out how exactly to piece my thoughts together. This last week I’ve been pretty low on inspiration, and while I’ve cooked a fair amount, I’m not sure about my cooking plans for the upcoming few days. While this is unnerving, to say the least, I’ve decided to push myself to not think so much and just post from my (ever increasing) backlog of recipes that you guys have asked for. I’m terrible for not doing that sooner, but I’ll get better with this, promise.
This curried rice salad is more salad, less pulao because it requires you to toss everything together off heat, then refrigerate the rice for the flavours to develop. It’s a spin on the classic coronation chicken sandwich filling, but with no chicken involved. The idea of a coronation anything is really very simple— there are curry powder and raisins, an element of chilli and some warming spice. I add apples and a green pepper here because it adds something fun and crunchy in contrast to the curry and sweetness. SO YEAH, make this if you have leftover rice at home and I’m sure you’ll fall in love with it as much as I have.
Ankiet’s Coronation Rice Salad
yield 4 servings or serves 2 very hungry people
Why am I calling this a salad and not a pulao? Because after I’m done tossing the rice in the flavoured oil, I take it off the heat and add other different textural elements to it before tossing again and letting it refrigerate. Tastes great warm, as well as cold.
Ingredients
Cooked rice 300g, preferably refrigerated from the night before
Vegetable oil 3-4 tbsp
Sesame oil 1 tsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Green chilli 1, slit lengthwise and finely chopped
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Madras curry powder 2 tbsp
Indian lime pickle 1 tbsp, chopped
Onion 1 large, chopped
Coriander leaves, freshly chopped (not the stems this time) 1/4 cup, finely chopped
Raisins 1/2 cup
Apple 1 cut into matchsticks
Green capsicum 1/2, cut into matchsticks and then chopped into little cubes
Honey 1 tbsp
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Take a kadai or a wok that’s big enough for tossing the rice. Heat the wok over high heat, then heat the vegetable oil and sesame oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the cumin seeds, green chilli, followed by the turmeric, red chilli powder, curry powder, lime pickle and chopped onions.
You want to toss everything together over high heat for 3-4 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Using your hands sprinkle the rice into the hot oil, making sure you break up any balls of rice that may have formed as the rice sat in the refrigerator. Toss the rice well, making sure to coat all the rice in the oil and heat it through. Then, take the rice off the flame and add the coriander leaves, raisins, apple matchsticks, green capsicum and start tossing everything rapidly off heat.
Sprinkle over salt and pepper, not being too generous because I’m sure you’ve salted the rice when cooking it before. Finish with a tablespoon of the honey, toss again. Taste now and adjust the seasoning. Don’t eat it right away, even though I know how tempting this is, and let it refrigerate for a bit before you eat it.