SPICY CARROT SALAD WITH PISTACHIOS AND CRANBERRIES

Fragrant spices, bright colours, exotic flavours – this Middle Eastern style salad ticks all the boxes and tantalises your taste buds. I often serve this salad alongside my Moroccan Lamb Stew or other main dishes with similar flavours.  Having said that, it could be served next to other dishes with rather subtle and delicate tastes by way of contrast that helps you to appreciate the different textures and flavours.

To feed 6 people, you need:

8-10 medium carrots

1 big red chili, de-seeded

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed or finely grated

½ cup of dried cranberries

½ cup of mint leaves torn

1 tbsp of coriander leaves chopped

3 tbsp pistachio nuts, slightly toasted

For the dressing:

½ cup of extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp honey

Juice of 1 lime

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Peel the carrots and grate them either with a grater or using a food processor, whatever is available and easy to use.  Finely chop the chilies and add to the salad together with garlic and cranberries.

Using a small jar with an air-tight lid, combine all the ingredients for the dressing and give it a good shake, have a taste and adjust so that you are happy with the balance of sweet and sour with a slight tang coming from the mustard.  Also bear in mind that the cranberries will add some sweetness too.

Pour the dressing over the salad, add nuts and mint and coriander leaves and mix quite well, give it a taste and adjust the seasoning.  Keep the salad in the fridge until serving.

The flavours of this salad are quite bold; however they should complement each other nicely.  And don’t worry that it might be too hot because of the chilies, the mind leaves are there to keep the heat under control.

Enjoy!!!