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Anjum Anand's firecracker salad

Anjum Anand's firecracker salad

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Hotter than a vindaloo - this winter warmer salad is packed full of firey scotch-bonnet chillies and lots more flavoursome treats. Try it if you think you can handle it!

Serves: 2
Prep time: 20 mins
(plus marinating time)
Cooking time: 15 mins
(may need an extra 5 mins)
Total time: 35 mins
Skill level: Easy peasy
Costs: Mid-price

Spice level Very Hot
5 a day portion3
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Ingredients

Just one cereal bowl (80g) of salad counts as one of our 5 portions of fruit and veg, making salad an easy way to achieve your 5-a-day.

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For the chicken:

90ml/6tbsp Greek yoghurt
2.5ml/1/2 tsp salt
2.5ml/1/2 tsp chilli powder
10ml/2 tsp cumin powder
2.5ml/1/2 tsp garam masala
2.5cm/1/2in piece root ginger, peeled and grated
1 clove garlic, crushed
Juice of half a lemon
2 (140g) chicken breast fillets, skinned

Scotch bonnet vinaigrette:

50ml light olive oil
40ml lemon juice
30ml/2tbsp water
Salt to taste
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
3 - 4 scotch bonnet chillies, seeds removed and chopped (for a less intense salad reduce to 1 or 2 chillies)
One large pinch of sugar

For the salad:

1 (90g) naan bread
100g/4 oz cucumber, finely sliced
1 large plum tomato, deseeded and finely sliced
30ml/2 tbsp finely chopped red onion or shallot
45ml/3 tbsp fresh pomegranate seeds
30g coconut shavings or flakes, fresh or dried
30g chilli cashews (see below)
2 handfuls of Romaine lettuce
1 handful of baby salad leaves
1 long red chilli, deseeded, and finely sliced for garnish (optional)

Method

Marinate the chicken: Mix together the ingredients for the tikka paste. Add the chicken, coat well, cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 mins or overnight if time allows.
Meanwhile, make the dressing: place all the ingredients in a bowl and blend into a fine paste with a fork. Season to taste. Set aside.
When ready to cook, heat a griddle pan, add the naan and cook on both sides until the naan is crisp, about 2 minutes each side. Slice and then cut on the diagonal to make diamond shapes.
Add the chicken to the griddle and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for another 4 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook for a further 5-6 minutes or until cooked all the way through (pierce the thickest part with the tip of a knife and press the juices coming out should be clear). Slice the chicken and cool slightly.
Place all the remaining salad ingredients in a large bowl, add half the dressing and toss well to mix. Divide between two large plates, scatter over the naan and place the chicken on top and finally garnish with the sliced chilli. Serve with the remaining dressing for dunking the pieces of toasted naan (delicious!).

For the quick chilli cashew nuts:

Heat 1 tsp oil in a small saucepan, add a pinch of salt, and 1/4 tsp each freshly ground black pepper, chilli powder and ground cumin powder.
Add 30g unsalted cashew nuts and stir well to coat.
Keep stirring until roasted, around 4 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and cool.

By britishleafysalads.co.uk

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