Fruity Rice Salad in Pineapple

This fruity, savory rice salad combines sweet pineapple with crisp vegetables, curry, soy sauce and pine nuts. Serving it in hollowed pineapple halves makes it especially suited to summer meals, parties and buffets.

Ingredients

• 1 fresh pineapple
• 250 g basmati rice
• 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil or another neutral cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 carrot
• 1 red bell pepper
• 50 g sweetcorn
• 50 g peas
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 3 spring onions
• Fresh coriander, to taste
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Cook the basmati rice according to the package directions. Transfer it to a bowl and allow it to cool slightly.
2. Cut the pineapple lengthwise into two halves. Carefully remove the flesh without damaging the shells, then cut the flesh into small cubes. Set the hollowed halves aside for serving.
3. Finely chop the onion and garlic. Cut the carrot into thin slices, dice the bell pepper and slice the spring onions into rings.
4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Briefly sauté the onion and garlic, then add the carrot and bell pepper and cook for about 3 minutes.
5. Fold in the cooked rice, diced pineapple, curry powder and soy sauce. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring gently.
6. Add the peas, sweetcorn, spring onions and pine nuts. Mix until evenly distributed and warmed through.
7. Season with salt, black pepper and fresh coriander.
8. Spoon the rice salad into the hollowed pineapple halves and serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips

• Let freshly cooked rice release some steam before adding it to the pan so the grains remain separate.
• Toast the pine nuts briefly in a dry pan for a deeper, nuttier flavor.
• Prepare the pineapple shells shortly before serving and keep them refrigerated until needed.
• For a little heat, add finely chopped fresh chili or a pinch of chili flakes.