Brown Wild Rice Salad

I have put together a few salad ideas that you might want to try out for your next braai, (barbecue). This is the first one, a delightful brown and wild rice salad, with crunchy bell peppers, roasted butternut, lentils and feta cheese. The peach, (optional), is an interesting variation, lending a little sweetness to the salad. The salad is a meal in itself and any leftovers can be used for lunch the next day. It's healthy and kids seem to love it and it goes really well with braaied meat. Also great with cold meats. I prefer to serve this dish at room temperature. The quantities  in this recipe will serve 6 - 8.

You need:


1 1/2 (375) ml Brown and Wild Rice
uncooked ( I use Tastic)
30grams each of green, yellow and red pepper chopped
120 grams butternut (cubed)
1/2 Cup cooked lentils (tinned lentils can be used)
100 grams feta cheese cubed
6 peach slices chopped (optional, cubed)


Heres How: Cook the brown wild rice
as per manufacture instruction. Drain and allow to cool. Sprinkle a little cinnamon on the butternut and roast in the oven until golden brown. Place the rice in a pretty serving bowl and add the butternut, chopped peppers, lentils and chopped peach. Mix together. Add the cubed feta and mix in. Add salt to taste.

Chicken Salad - In a creamy curried dressing - With apologies to Constance Fry

This salad is loosely based on Constance Fry's Coronation Chicken Salad which she invented for Queen Elizabeth's Coronation luncheon in 1953.  The creamy curry dressing has a delightful flavour, and of course my version is made with our Papa's Curry Mix. This recipe serves 4 to 6. (Six small starter salads or a more substantial salad for 4)

You need:

500grams chicken fillet cut into bite size pieces

1/2 cube chicken stock

2 bay leaves

1 small carrot cut into chunks

Sprig of thyme and parsley

Here's How

Place chicken in a saucepan with bay leaves, carrot, thyme and parsley. Add just enough water to cover the chicken and half a cube of chicken stock. Poach until chicken is cooked. Drain and set aside. (Remove the flavouring ingredients, thyme,carrot, parsley, etc.)

The Dressing

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon Brown Sugar

3 Teaspoons Papa's Curry Mix (Mild)

1 Small Onion (finely chopped)

1/2 Tin Yellow Cling Peaches (Pureed)

(If you don't have a blender, then use 80ml Purity Baby Food - Pureed Peaches)

1/2 (125ml) Cup Miracle Whip Mayonnaise

80ml Fresh Cream (Whipped)

Here's How

Saute the onion in Olive oil until soft. Add curry mix, pureed peaches and brown sugar and mix well. Simmer gently for about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Place mayonnaise in a seperate bowl, add the cooled mixture to mayonnaise and mix well. Fold in the whipped cream. Add the dressing to cooked chicken and mix. The chicken mixture  can be served on a bed of mixed salad leaves, and/or savoury rice. Ideal for starters. (Get creative and add finely sliced red pepper, cherry tomatoes etc. to your salad leaves). 

Papa's Pasta Salad - Made with Risoni

Papa's Pasta Summer Salads - With curried creamy dressing

You need:-

3 250ml cups uncooked pasta,
pasta rice (risoni) or Conchigliette (small pasta shells)

4 sticks celery (finely chopped)
3 Peach halves , (finely chopped) , (tinned peaches are fine)
1/2 cup sultanas

How to :-

Cook the pasta as per manufacturer instruction. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water. Place pasta in a bowl and add celery, peaches and sultanas. Add the dressing and mix well. Serve at room temperature. Excellent with cold meats or a braai.


The Dressing

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Brown Sugar
1 Small Onion (finely chopped)
3 Teaspoons Papas Curry Mix (Mild)
1 80ml Purity Baby Food - Pureed Peaches
1/2 cup (125ml) Miracle Whip Mayonnaise
80ml Fresh Cream (Whipped)

Fry the onion in the olive oil until soft. Add Papas curry mix, pureed peaches and brown sugar. Mix well and simmer for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Place mayonnaise in a bowl. Add cooled mixture and stir well. Fold in the whipped cream.