Summer Salads: Silvana’s Curried Rice Salad
Barbeques and summer salads just go together, and this curried rice salad is my favourite to bring to any summer get-together.
Sweet and tangy with a touch of curry. My favourite to take to potlucks as it always stands out!
I feel so sorry for those of you experiencing the crazy heat wave that is affecting so much of the country! Here in Zone 3b we have had such a cool, wet season. My garden is struggling without the heat it needs, and I don’t know if the stunted growth will product much in the way of cucumbers or squash this summer. We have had some sunshine for the last 2 weeks, and it finally feels like summer has reached us, so I’m hopeful!
I have always loved family get-togethers, and naturally, barbeques and summer salads go hand in hand. While living in a close church community for many years, potluck suppers were the norm. I discovered I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with potluck summer salads. I don’t think I alone in this, I have heard others make comments at large potluck events such as “if there are sandwiches, avoid egg salad ones, some people have odd ideas about those”. There is truth in that statement!
I have had some really unfortunate potluck broccoli salads. My favourite version includes broccoli, crumbled cooked bacon, diced red onion, halved red grapes and sunflower seeds. I’m not a huge fan of cold pasta, so it has to be pretty special for me to say I love a pasta salad. My massage therapist gave me a super simple recipe for a corn and bean salad that throws together in minutes – a can of corn or a cup of thawed frozen corn, a can of rinsed black beans, a diced ½ red onion, Italian salad dressing and feta cheese to taste.
My Mom was famous for her potato salad. It seems like anytime there was a family potluck-style meal, her mashed potato salad was on the table. Mashed potato salads are a little less common, and when I was first on my own I asked her for the recipe. She let me know she couldn’t believe I had to ask, and then is what she gave me: “only new potatoes, a boiled egg for every 4 potatoes, diced radishes, enough Miracle Whip and some paprika to dust the top”. I guess I was expected to just know! Needless to say, I spent some time working out how to balance those things to make mine like Mom’s. Mine now has onion, celery and garlic powder added to make it more my own.
Simple ingredients served cold - this is so easy to put together for a summer gathering.
When my children were small and I was living my best earth-mother life, finding adult friends outside our close community was difficult. I took the children to story time at the library, to Music for Young Children, and to the City-run toddler gym once a month. The same parents would often be at these events, but even then it was difficult to make adult connections. Thankfully, our family doctor was not one of those write-a-prescription-and-send-you-out-the-door kind of doctors. He was always invested in the appointment, always patient and caring. He had a poster in his office that talked about not chasing the almighty dollar but marching to the beat of your own drum. I loved that about him! If I was concerned about the littles and how to deal with ear pain or kiddos not sleeping, he would often offer more personal advice, sharing what he and his wife Silvana had tried. When I realized Silvana was one of the Moms that I had met at Music for Young Children and had seen at the toddler gym, I suggested we invite their family for a bbq.
Over the next few years our families got together seasonally, usually with another family or two. Silvana once brought this amazing summer salad, something unusual that the children also loved: curried rice salad.
This salad has become my go-to for summer potlucks. I have made it using whatever type of rice I had on hand, including brown, basmati and even instant rice if I was pressed for time. It happily accepts the addition of diced cooked chicken for a full summer meal. The curry is quite mild but can be increased for a stronger flavour. It is best served after sitting for 4 hours (overnight works even better) for the flavours blend and do their magic. The original recipe calls for Sultanna raisins, but I prefer substituting craisins for their tangy offset to the apples’ sweetness.
Start with any type of rice you have on hand, I used Basmati for this one.
Silvana’s Curried Rice Salad
INGREDIENTS
3 cups cooked rice - you choose the type, although I think wild rice would be too overpowering.
1 small onion, chopped
1 med apple, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
½ cup craisins
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
½ cup bottled French dressing
2-4 tsp curry powder
METHOD
Cook the rice the morning before (or night before) and refrigerate.
Combine the cold rice with onion, apple, pepper and craisins.
Mix together the parsley, vinegar, French dressing and curry powder. Pour over the rice mixture and mix well.
Refrigerate until serving - 4 hours to overnight is best.
Author’s note:
This recipe includes store bought bottled French dressing. If you know how to make your own, go for it!
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Sue tends a kitchen garden in Alberta, growing as much of the family's food as the season allows. She writes about what comes out of the soil and what ends up on the table — honest, unfussy, and rooted in Canada.